When a heart attack occurs, it can cause significant damage to part of the heart muscle due to a sudden lack of blood flow. If not treated properly, this can be fatal. If a careless or inattentive physician fails to diagnose a heart attack, this oversight can cause serious patient harm or a death that could have been prevented with a proper diagnosis.
If you or a loved one has been harmed due to the failure to detect a heart attack in Albuquerque, you may be eligible for financial compensation from a health care provider. A medical malpractice attorney in Albuquerque can be instrumental in helping you prove your claim and receive fair financial compensation for significant losses.
What Is the Proper Protocol for Diagnosing and Treating a Heart Attack?
When a patient visits an emergency room or hospital and complains of potential heart attack symptoms – such as chest pain, shortness of breath, dizziness, sweating or nausea – a physician should not rule out a heart attack until proper evaluation and testing are done. The doctor should actively listen to the patient’s complaints and consider all possible diagnoses, including cardiac arrest.
The clinician should evaluate the patient’s medical history and potential risk factors for heart attack, such as the patient’s age, smoking habits, diabetes, family history of heart attacks and blood pressure. Then, the doctor should conduct a physical examination to check for signs of a heart attack, which may include high blood pressure or abnormal heart sounds.
Specialized tests should also be ordered to either confirm or rule out a heart attack. These may include an electrocardiogram, blood tests and chest x-rays. A doctor should be able to properly interpret the results of these tests to detect any indicators of a heart attack. The physician should begin immediate treatment to minimize the damage if a heart attack is suspected.
What Other Health Problems Are Heart Attacks Commonly Mistaken For?
Heart attacks can mimic many less serious health problems and nonemergency medical events. If a doctor isn’t careful during the diagnostic process, this can lead to a misdiagnosis or the failure to diagnose a heart attack. A missed heart attack is especially likely in female patients, elderly patients and patients with diabetes.
Heart attacks are often mistaken for the following conditions:
- Panic attack
- Anxiety
- Heartburn
- Acid reflux
- Indigestion
- Bronchitis
- A pulled muscle
Heart attacks present themselves in different ways from patient to patient. Atypical symptoms such as back pain or fatigue can contribute to a heart attack misdiagnosis. It is critical for a doctor to take the time to order the correct tests to ensure a proper diagnosis. Otherwise, a heart attack could go undiagnosed and untreated.
Medical Malpractice and Missed Heart Attack Diagnosis
A heart attack diagnosis could be missed by a physician in Albuquerque for many reasons, including medical malpractice. Malpractice refers to a health care provider falling short of the standards of patient care established by the medical field.
A medical malpractice claim in New Mexico requires evidence of the following:
- Duty of care: the physician or defendant owed the injured patient a duty of care as the patient’s official health care provider
- Deviation from the standard of care: the defendant failed to act as a reasonably competent practitioner would have.
- Cause of harm: the lapse in care directly caused injury or harm to the plaintiff.
- Damages suffered: the patient suffered compensable losses due to the breach of duty, such as an adverse health outcome or medical expenses.
Any action or inaction taken by a licensed health care provider that a reasonably prudent person would not have made in the same circumstances can constitute malpractice. This includes failing to correctly diagnose a heart attack when a physician in similar circumstances would have been able to using an ordinary level of care.
Consequences of a Missed Heart Attack Diagnosis
Failing to correctly identify a heart attack can lead to a dangerous lapse in treatment for the patient. The patient may then suffer serious injuries or death. Potential consequences of an undiagnosed or misdiagnosed heart attack include:
- Increased risk of additional (and more severe) heart attacks
- Decreased life expectancy (higher mortality rate)
- Damage to the heart muscles from a lack of oxygen
- Increased likelihood of stroke and paralysis
- Untreated heart failure, or the inadequate pumping of blood
- Sudden cardiac arrest or congestive heart failure
- Arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat)
- Long-term disability or chronic chest pain
- Loss of independence and reduced quality of life
- Emotional and psychological trauma
- Financial toll due to further necessary medical care
The failure to diagnose a heart attack can interfere with a patient’s prognosis by limiting his or her treatment options. By the time the heart attack is diagnosed, it may be too late for the patient to receive critical or lifesaving care.
Your Legal Options After the Negligent Failure to Diagnose a Heart Attack in Albuquerque
Overlooked heart attack symptoms can have a major effect on a patient’s life and future. Harm caused by a heart attack misdiagnosis can be physical, emotional and financial. While nothing can make this dangerous lapse in medical care right, a successful medical malpractice claim could allow the victim to move forward with greater peace of mind by providing justice, closure and financial compensation.
You may be able to hold a health care center liable, or legally responsible, for the failure to diagnose a heart attack if the facility or one of its employees was negligent. The hospital could be held directly liable for its own lapses in care, such as improper staff hiring and training protocols or a dangerous lack of communication among staff members.
A hospital can also be held vicariously liable for the actions of its workers, including nurses and physicians employed by the hospital. A successful medical malpractice claim could compensate the victim for related medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, permanent disability, or an Albuquerque lawsuit wrongful death of a loved one
Learn Your Legal Rights During a Free Medical Malpractice Case Review in Albuquerque
Discuss the possibility of a medical malpractice claim with a lawyer in Albuquerque as soon as possible to be informed about your options as a victim of an undiagnosed heart attack. At The Fine Law Firm, our medical malpractice attorneys have been fighting for the rights of patients throughout New Mexico for many years.
We can bring claims against any major health care provider in Albuquerque, including hospitals and emergency rooms. We offer free consultations, where you can get personalized legal advice from a knowledgeable attorney at no cost or obligation. Request yours today by calling (505) 494-1646 or contacting us online anytime.