What to Know About Heart Attack Injuries from Medical Malpractice

When you think of medical emergencies, heart attacks rank pretty high on the list. Hospitals think so, too, which is why people suspected of having a heart attack are given priority in the emergency department. The medical term for a heart attack is “myocardial infarction,” which literally means the death of heart muscle tissue due to a lack of blood supply. That lack of blood supply may be due to a full or partial blockage of a coronary artery.

One person in the United States has a heart attack every 40 seconds, and most of those heart attacks are happening to someone who has never had one before. Prompt treatment is essential to saving lives and heart muscle. Unfortunately, despite the frequency with which heart attacks occur, doctors sometimes miss them, which may be medical malpractice. Here’s what you should know about misdiagnosed heart attack and other heart attack injuries caused from medical malpractice.

Common (and Less Common) Heart Attack Symptoms

Doctors are most likely to recognize “classic” heart attack symptoms such as:

• Chest pain that feels like pressure, crushing, or squeezing, usually in the center or on the left side of the chest
• Shortness of breath, either with activity or at rest
• Pain that radiates to the left arm or jaw
• Breaking out in a cold sweat that is unrelated to exertion or the temperature of the environment
• Feeling lightheaded or dizzy
• Nausea or vomiting, especially in women

However, other symptoms that are less common, or not always primarily associated with heart attack, can also be serious and may be overlooked, leading to a failure to diagnose. These include:

• Extreme fatigue that comes on in the hours, or even days, before a heart attack. This symptom can happen in men or women, but is more common in women
• A sensation of heartburn or indigestion
• A feeling of anxiety or impending doom without apparent cause
• Throat or tooth pain
• Mild breathlessness or shortness of breath without pain

If you are experiencing one or more of these symptoms, it’s better to be safe than sorry—seek medical attention. It may not be a heart attack, but ask the doctor to screen for a heart attack

Misdiagnosed Heart Attack is More Common in Women

Anyone can suffer from a misdiagnosed heart attack, but it is more common for doctors to misdiagnose heart attacks in women. There are several reasons why. As you may have noticed from the list above, women are more likely to experience heart attack symptoms other than the classic myocardial infarction symptoms listed above. A woman who comes into the emergency department complaining of fatigue, nausea and anxiety might well be diagnosed with anxiety before being screened for a heart attack.

It must also be said that there are biases in medical training and culture. Some doctors may be less likely to take women’s complaints seriously, and heart attack has historically been treated as something that happens mostly to men. For that reason, many diagnostic protocols have been based primarily on male physiology and symptoms.

When women have heart attacks, they tend to do so later in life than men. Accordingly, doctors may attribute their reported symptoms to other conditions that arise with age. In addition, diabetes, which is more common in older people, can mask chest pain and complicate detection of myocardial infarction.

How Heart Attack Medical Malpractice Happens

Heart attack malpractice can arise in a variety of ways, and at any stage of the medical process, including:

• Negligence in triage (prioritizing) of patients
• Negligent training of medical staff that makes them ill-equipped to respond to heart attack symptoms
• Failing to recognize symptoms or signs of myocardial infarction
• Failing to record or follow up on reported symptoms
• Delay in testing or treatment
• Failing to order appropriate diagnostic testing based on reported symptoms or exhibited signs of heart attack
• Ordering appropriate testing, but misreading the results
• Administering the wrong medication or the wrong dosage of a medication, including under-dosing or overdosing
• Discharging a patient without a thorough review of test results, or while they are still experiencing symptoms of a heart attack

Typically when we speak of heart attack malpractice, we are talking about actions or inaction that makes damage from a heart attack worse. However, in some situations, medical malpractice can actually cause a heart attack, such as mismanagement of a medical emergency like pulmonary embolism.

Damages from Heart Attack Medical Malpractice

If diagnosed and treated promptly, someone who suffers from a heart attack may be able to make a full recovery. Unfortunately, heart attack injuries that are not treated promptly and appropriately can lead to more serious injury, permanent injury, or death. Heart attack injuries caused by medical malpractice include:

• Damage to heart muscle that weakens the heart’s ability to pump
• Arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat)
• Cardiogenic shock
• Stroke that results from the heart’s inability to effectively pump blood to the brain
• Damage to heart valves and other structural damage to the heart
• Aneurysm (weakening of the heart’s wall) which is life-threatening
• Post-traumatic stress and depression
• Death

Medical malpractice involving heart attack is serious and life-changing. If you or a loved one was misdiagnosed or not properly treated, you should speak to a medical malpractice attorney.

Speak to an Experienced Medical Malpractice Attorney

Heart attack injuries caused by medical malpractice can result in increased medical bills, inability to work and to enjoy recreation, and other costs. If your doctor or hospital committed medical malpractice, you may be entitled to compensation, but you must file a claim within a limited time. To learn more about heart attack injuries and your rights, contact the Fraser Law Firm to schedule a consultation.