ryo

Stroke (Ischemic Stroke, Intracerebral Hemorrhage, and Subarachnoid Hemorrhage) treatment tends to be expensive. However, Japan's Universal Health Coverage (Health Insurance) generally caps the out-of-pocket patient burden at 30%(or 10% to 30% for those aged 70+). Given the long average hospital stay (over 108 days), the total cost can reach several million yen. In 2025, with the Baby Boomers entering late-stage elderly care, a sharp increase in overall healthcare costs is anticipated.

The length of hospitalization for a stroke varies greatly depending on the type of stroke (Ischemic Stroke, Intracerebral Hemorrhage, or Subarachnoid Hemorrhage), ranging from a few weeks at the shortest to over a year in the most severe cases. Notably, the spread of thrombectomy has led to a dramatic reduction in hospital stays for Ischemic Stroke in recent years, while Intracerebral Hemorrhage still tends to require prolonged hospitalization.

Rehabilitation after a stroke is not just about moving paralyzed limbs; it requires optimizing the strategy, start time, and main training content according to the type of stroke (Ischemic Stroke, Intracerebral Hemorrhage, or Subarachnoid Hemorrhage). Notably, "how early you start" is the biggest factor that dramatically changes the patient's life one year later.

After surviving the acute treatment phase of a stroke, patients and their families face the battle against residual deficits (sequelae). The type and severity of these deficits vary significantly depending on the stroke type—Ischemic Stroke (Infarction), Intracerebral Hemorrhage, or Subarachnoid Hemorrhage—and the recovery processes are distinct for each.

The strategy and time limits for stroke treatment—whether for Ischemic Stroke, Intracerebral Hemorrhage, or Subarachnoid Hemorrhage—differ completely, and these differences determine the patient's survival and functional prognosis. Recent advances in treatment have been remarkable; especially for Ischemic Stroke, the advent of thrombectomy has significantly increased cases where residual deficits are drastically reduced.

The speed of onset, intensity of headache, and presentation of paralysis differ critically among the three types of stroke: Ischemic Stroke (vessel blockage), Intracerebral Hemorrhage (vessel rupture), and Subarachnoid Hemorrhage (aneurysm rupture). Knowing these symptom differences provides vital information for doctors to make a rapid diagnosis in an emergency setting where every minute counts.

Stroke is categorized into three types: Cerebral Infarction (vessel blockage), Intracerebral Hemorrhage (vessel rupture), and Subarachnoid Hemorrhage (aneurysm rupture). Each has a completely different onset mechanism, typical symptoms, and a distinct "golden hour" for treatment. Intracerebral Hemorrhage and Subarachnoid Hemorrhage, which involve sudden, dramatic symptoms, are particularly associated with high mortality rates.