According to the National Institutes of Health, every year in the United States about one million people have a heart attack, and about half of those heart attacks are fatal. In addition, about half of these deaths occur within one hour of the onset of symptoms, making early diagnosis crucial.
To learn more about filing lawsuit after a misdiagnosed heart attack, please contact us today.
Common Heart Attack Misdiagnoses
Although heart attacks are a well-known medical event, they are still commonly misdiagnosed, especially in emergency rooms. A misdiagnosis of a heart attack is more likely in individuals who are not reporting chest pain, which is rather common. Misdiagnoses for heart attack include:
· Heartburn
· Angina
· Pulmonary embolism
· Gallstones
· Pneumonia
· Bronchitis
· Esophagitis
· Gastrointestinal disorder
· Anxiety attack or panic attack
· Hyperventilation
Sometimes an Unexpected Candidate
A missed heart attack diagnosis is also common in patients who are not the "expected" candidates for a heart attack — for example, in young women (although according to the American Heart Association, one in three adult females in the U.S. has some form of cardiovascular disease). Only about 30 % of women who experience a heart attack have any chest pain at the time.
Indeed, the leading cause of death for both men and women in the U.S. is coronary heart disease (CHD). Narrowing of the coronary arteries that supply the heart's blood causes CHD, and this condition is the most frequent basis of a heart attack.
Heart Attack Misdiagnosis Rates
A study reported in 2000 in the New England Journal of Medicine noted that one in 50 heart attack victims in the U.S. is mistakenly sent home by emergency room doctors. Other researchers have documented even higher rates of missed heart attack diagnosis.
If you or a loved one has suffered a heart attack that was misdiagnosed, contact Perey Law Group, PLLC to discuss your legal rights. Our experience in obtaining medical malpractice settlements and verdicts can help you achieve a fair and satisfying outcome for your case, too.
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Perey Law Group, PLLC
1606 8th Avenue North
Seattle, WA 98109
Phone: (206) 443-7600
Fax: (206) 443-4785