What is Coma?

Coma is a partially dead state that leaves the affected person immobile and devoid of most senses. The condition may last for a single day or even years, depending upon the severity of the case. IRDA (Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India) defines a coma in simple terms as a state of unconsciousness, without any reaction or response to external stimuli or internal needs. The illness can be diagnosed in the following cases:

• When the patient gives no response to external stimuli in a continuous stretch of 96 hours
• When life support measures become mandatory to survive
• When the patient undergoes a permanent neurological deficit. It could be assessed after minimum of 30 days of onset of coma
• When the condition is confirmed by a specialised medical practitioner

Causes of Coma

Coma can be caused due to many types of problems. Some common causes of coma are listed below:

• Traumatic brain injuries: These are generally caused due to an act of violence, traffic collision, etc.
• Stroke: A stroke leads to a reduced blood supply to the brain the reason for which may be a burst of blood vessels or blocked arteries.
• Diabetes: People with diabetes may suffer from too high or too low sugar levels. It can cause a coma.
• Tumours: Tumors in the brain can also cause coma.
• Lack of Oxygen: People suffering from a lack of oxygen in the brain can also suffer from a coma. For instance, someone who has been rescued from drawing or someone who has been resuscitated after a heart attack may suffer from a coma.
• Seizures: Seizures may cause coma.
• Infections: Infections like meningitis and encephalitis lead to swelling in the brain, tissues that surround the brain or spinal cord. These infections may cause brain damage or even coma.
• Toxins: Someone who is exposed to toxins like lead or carbon monoxide can lead to brain damage and coma.
• Alcohol and drugs: An overdose of drugs or alcohol may also lead to coma.

Symptoms of Coma

Some common signs and symptoms of coma include the following:

• Irregular breathing
• Closed eyes
• Limbs showing no response (except reflex movements)
• Depressed brainstem reflexes like pupils not showing any response to light
• Body not responding to painful stimuli, except reflex movements

Treatment of Coma

Coma is a serious medical emergency, the treatment of which depends on the extent of the illness. In case someone is diagnosed with the illness, he/she must immediately be rushed to the hospital as delay may worsen the situation. Doctors, after examining the airway of the patient, can help regulate the ventilation to circulation, can provide blood transfusions, breathing assistance, and other supportive care.

Treatment of coma may include the following:

• In the case of hypoglycemia, intravenous injection of glucose may help
• In case of overdose with an opioid, intravenous injection of naloxone may help
• In case of a blood clot between the brain and its lining, surgical treatment may help
• Antibiotics can help in case of an infection.

Critical Illness Insurance Plans For Coma

A huge cost is involved in the treatment of a coma. Therefore, it is recommended to have a critical illness insurance policy that covers medical expenses arising due to the coma of a particular severity, thereby reducing financial stress during difficult times. A critical illness insurance policy provides the insured a lump sum amount in a single transaction in case he/she gets diagnosed with a critical illness. This means a critical illness insurance plan will not only protect you against medical expenses arising because of coma, but also against several other illnesses such as cancer, deafness, stroke, kidney failure, deafness, etc.

At InsuranceDekho, you will find several critical illness insurance policies from multiple insurers that cover coma. These include Digit’s critical illness insurance policy, Max Bupa Criticare plan, ManipalCigna Lifestyle Protection Critical Care plan, and Reliance Critical Illness policy. The best part is that the insured need not only use the amount received from the insurer for the care and treatment. Instead, it can also be used to pay off any debt(s), avail treatment on a foreign land, or to make up for the loss of income due to the illness. With these policies, you can also enjoy tax benefits under Section 80D of the Income Tax Act, 1961 for the premium paid for them.

Why Buy Critical Illness Insurance For Coma Online at InsuranceDekho?

InsuranceDekho offers you a quick, transparent, and smooth buying process. The portal allows you to buy critical illness insurance plans for coma within a few minutes at affordable premiums. You just need to visit the portal (www.insurancedekho.com) and enter a few details as asked. You can also use InsuranceDekho’s health insurance premium calculator to compare and analyse different health insurance quotes in order to select the most suitable one as per your budget and requirements. Some more benefits that you can avail if buying critical illness insurance plans online at InsuranceDekho are:

• Quick issuance of critical illness insurance plan for coma
• Multiple health insurance quotes for coma from popular insurers
• Complete guidance at the time of purchasing policy
• Post policy purchase assistance from customer care executives
• Assistance at the time of claim settlement
• Flexible modes of payment offered
• Online premium calculator to compare and analyse several critical illness insurance policies for coma