Heart Attack
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Missing the Warning Signs
A heart attacks is a medical emergency. It requires immediate diagnosis and treatment. When properly identified, early interventions can make the difference between life and death; full recovery and permanent disability. When a heart attack is misdiagnosed or dismissed as a less serious condition, the consequences can be catastrophic. Patients may be sent home without treatment, only to suffer a major cardiac event, permanent heart damage, or even die in the hours or days that follow.
Time is Heart Muscle
Early diagnosis of a heart attack is critical. The sooner a heart attack is recognized and treated, the more heart muscle can be saved and the better the chances of survival and a full recovery. A heart attack blocks blood flow to part of the heart. The longer the blockage lasts, the more muscle tissue in the heart dies. Early treatment limits the damage and helps preserve heart function.
Treatments with clot-busting drugs (thrombolytics) and procedures to open up narrowed or blocked arteries (angioplasty) are most effective when given within the first few hours of symptom onset. Delays can lead to irreversible heart damage.
Common Medical Mistakes
Misdiagnosed heart attacks are a common cause of medical malpractice claims. These errors often occur in emergency departments or clinics where symptoms are vague or overlap with other conditions. Chest pain may be misinterpreted as indigestion, muscle strain, or anxiety. Women, younger patients, and people without obvious risk factors are often misdiagnosed.
Some of the more common mistakes including a failure to obtain and correctly interpret an ECG (electrocardiogram) properly; dismissing atypical symptoms (shortness of breath, nausea, fatigue); overlooking risk factors or failing to take a full history; inadequate follow-up or monitoring; Misreading bloodwork, including troponin levels.
Here to Help
We have extensive experience in cardiology medical malpractice cases, including the misdiagnosis of cardiac conditions. We work with leading cardiology and emergency medicine experts to review your medical records to determine if the care provided was appropriate. We understand what is at stake and we are here to help you seek answers, accountability, and compensation.