Nobody wants to experience a heart attack. A cardiac event can come about suddenly and cause an emergency health situation. Without proper treatment, a heart attack can turn deadly.
Many people suffer from heart attacks, especially older folks and those with heart conditions. Because of this, doctors should be thoroughly aware of the signs and symptoms of a heart attack. Tightness or pain in the chest, fatigue, lightheadedness, abnormal heartbeat, and anxiety are common symptoms. In women, chest pain is not always apparent. They may experience pain in the neck, jaw, shoulder, upper back, or abdomen. They may also suffer from shortness of breath, arm pain, sweating, nausea or vomiting.
Heart attack symptoms are not always cut and dry, which is why there may be confusion as to what a patient should be diagnosed with. However, a misdiagnosis can prove deadly.
If you or a loved one suffered a worsened medical condition or died due to a heart attack misdiagnosis, you may be able to sue for compensation. A Baltimore heart attack malpractice lawyer from Furman | Honick Law can assess your situation and help you understand your legal options.
When is it Heart Attack Malpractice?
Not all heart attacks can be prevented by medical staff, so when does it become malpractice? A
Misdiagnosis as indigestion or some other non-life threatening ailment may be considered malpractice, depending on what information the doctor was given and what tests and exams revealed. Do the records show common heart attack symptoms? Is there a family history of heart disease? Did the doctor conduct the right tests?
The doctor has to make sure to ask the right questions and personally examine the patient. Also, if there was a subsequent heart attack diagnosis from a different doctor, then that would be relevant information that could indicate malpractice.
Heart-related illnesses can cause a patient to become hospitalized. When this happens, medical professionals have a duty to perform tests to determine if a heart attack occurred or has a chance of occurring. Doctors need to get a thorough understanding of the patient’s symptoms to avoid any risk of malpractice.
If the patient is diagnosed with a heart attack, doctors need to perform prompt treatment. A procedure known as thrombolytic therapy is successful, as it breaks down blood clots. Surgeries such as angioplasty and coronary artery bypass can also treat cardiac arrest. However, these treatments need to be performed as quickly as possible in order to be effective.
Contact Furman | Honick Law Today
A heart attack is a serious medical event that can be fatal if not caught in time. That’s why doctors need to be aware of the signs and perform appropriate testing to diagnose it in time.
Heart attacks can be misdiagnosed as indigestion or heartburn. If your heart attack was misdiagnosed and you suffered injuries, you need legal help right away. The team at Furman | Honick Law can help. We’ll handle your case from start to finish. Schedule a free consultation with an experienced Baltimore heart attack malpractice lawyer today. Call (410) 844-6000 or fill out the online form.