Failure to Diagnose Heart Attack/Myocardial Infarction

In certain circumstances, signs and symptoms of heart attack or arrhythmia are missed by doctors in an emergency room. Medical or hospital malpractice can arise when a physician misreads signs and symptoms of heart attack. Although some heart attacks can be sudden and intense where there is no question about its occurrence, many other signs and symptoms of heart attacks occur slowly with mild pain or discomfort.

Some of these signs and symptoms of heart attack (myocardial infarction) are:

  • Chest, abdomen, neck, back, arm, jaw or forearm pain, burning or pressure with exertion or at rest
  • Intense anxiety
  • Pain or discomfort beginning in the central or left part of the chest and radiating to an arm, jaw, back or shoulder
  • Pain or discomfort, not sharp or localized
  • Shortness of breath
  • Excessive sweating, loss of balance, nausea, vomiting
  • Fainting
  • Extreme fatigue after physical activity

About a third of all heart attack patients do not have chest pain at all. These patients can be easily misdiagnosed. Women are more likely than men to be nauseous and to experience pain in the high abdomen or chest before a heart attack.

The issue of whether or not a physician, physician assistant, nurse and other medical providers at a hospital or clinic are responsible for medical or hospital negligence in choosing not to diagnose a heart attack case is dependent upon many factors.

A heart attack can be misdiagnosed as heartburn, indigestion or muscle strain. Medical providers in emergency departments are well-trained in identifying signs and symptoms of heart attack, heart failure, myocardial infarction or arrhythmia. The strength of correctly diagnosing a patient with any medical illness is to properly assess and treat the patient based on the history and physical examination. The risk factors of heart attack are related to family history, previous heart conditions, drug use, alcohol use and smoking. Obviously, the medical providers would want to know what urgently brought the patient to the hospital in the first place.

If you or a loved one has suffered in an injury or death following a failure to diagnose a heart attack, aortic aneurism dissection or other delay in diagnoses, please call us for an immediate free consultation. Robert Kreisman of Kreisman Law Offices has been handling Chicago and Illinois failure to diagnose heart attack/myocardial infarction and other cardiac arrest cases for more than 40 years.

Kreisman Law Offices has prevailed in trials and settlements in Chicago, Illinois and surrounding areas and successfully resolved cases for to diagnose heart attack/myocardial infarction and other cardiac arrest for these many years.

With our years of experience in trying and settling misdiagnosis of heart attack cases, Kreisman Law Offices provides the best possible services to our clients. Our service is unmatched. Please call us 24 hours a day at 312.346.0045 or toll free 800.583.8002 for a free and immediate consultation, or complete a contact form online. There is no charge for a consultation that will include an evaluation of your case.

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