Each year nearly 5 million people in the U.S. visit emergency rooms with heart attack symptoms including chest pains. Since heart attack symptoms are similar to a number of common non-life threatening conditions, doctors may fail to realize the severity of the situation and misdiagnose the patient's medical condition.
Some of the most common mistakes made during the diagnosis of a heart attack include:
- Failure to diagnose a heart attack in younger patients
- According to the New England Journal of medicine, 1 in 50 heart attacks are incorrectly diagnosed and the patient is sent home. Women are 7 times more likely to have their heart attack misdiagnosed than men [1]
- A normal ECG does not always rule out a heart attack. One study showed that up to 23% of misdiagnosed heart attacks were due to the improper reading of a patient's ECG.
The proper diagnosis of a heart attack can often be difficult due to the non-specific nature of some symptoms. Nevertheless, careful and attentive consideration of all factors is critical to the patient's survival and recovery. A doctor may fail to properly assess:
- Patient Age
- Previous Heart Conditions
- Medical History and Drug Interactions (oral contraceptives and hormone replacement therapy can increase the risk of heart attack)
- Patient Lifestyle (exercise, alcohol or drug use)
- Smoking
- Menopause
Please consult your physician before discontinuing any medication.
If you suspect that you or a loved one is a victim of malpractice, time is of the essence. Consult one of our medical negligence lawyers immediately to discuss your case and make an important step in taking control of your situation.
The experienced attorneys of Brown & Crouppen can help you make informed decisions about your future, so please call Brown & Crouppen at toll free: 888-842-7944 for your free legal consultation or save time with our online contact form.
[1] http://myheartsisters.org/2009/05/28/heart-attack-misdiagnosis-women/
