Legal recourse for failure to diagnose a heart attack

March 11, 2014

Misdiagnosis of a variety of conditions happens all too often. Physicians and other healthcare professionals fail to see the symptoms for a particular ailment that results in injury to a patient.

In many cases, misdiagnosis occurs simply because doctors don't spend enough time with patients. CNN reports that the average time a family practitioner spends with a patient has decreased over the past decade. In fact it has "dwindled to a speedy seven minutes," they say. And, for urgent care doctors, the amount of time spent with a patient is likely even less as doctors are pressured to get through a crowded waiting room full of sick patients.

When there is not enough time provided to patients to assess their symptoms--there's no doubt that conditions will get missed. Hearts attacks are a case in point. They are often one of the top conditions that are misdiagnosed.

Heart attack misdiagnosis

There are over a million heart attacks, or acute myocardial infarctions, that occur in the U.S. every single year--and thousands happens because of doctors' failure to diagnose.

Chest pain is the classic textbook symptom of an individual who experiences a heart attack. However, there are many more inconspicuous symptoms of a heart attack that are often ignored by medical professionals--particularly those with limited time to spend with patients.

Discreet symptoms

Several discreet symptoms of a heart attack can include:
- Fatigue
- Headache
- Back pain
- Indigestion
- Dizziness

In many cases, when any of the above occur, a patient is likely prescribed painkillers or anti-anxiety drugs and sent home--rather than being more thoroughly assessed.

If doctors were to identify a heart attack, they can prescribe alternative treatments like aspirin and even thrombolytic therapy drugs like TPA.
Prevention through the use of thrombolytic agents

TPA, or tissue plasminogen activator as it's referred to, is a thrombolytic agent used to break up or dissolve blood clots for both heart attack and acute stroke sufferers. However, this type of therapy must be give within 3 hours of the onset of a patient's stroke symptoms.

When a patient comes in with symptoms that point to a heart attack or stroke are these symptoms are ignored, the patient returns home and misses this window of time.
The help of an attorney

Fortunately, legal recourse is available for a patient who suffered injury from a misdiagnosed heart attack. Speaking with a medical malpractice attorney who can offer advice as it pertains to individual circumstances is advised.

Article provided by Biancheria & Maliver, P.C.
Visit us at www.bem-law.com