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Heart Attack Misdiagnosis-What You Need to Know

If someone were to ask you for the leading cause of death in the United States, how would you answer? Drunk driving accidents? Cancer? Would you believe that the leading cause of death for Americans is coronary heart disease? Heart attacks claim the lives of nearly a half-million people every year.

Many Kansas City residents are at risk for heart disease. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), heart disease is the culprit behind one in four deaths in the state of Missouri. In 2006, heart disease claimed an astonishing 14,749 people, nearly 30 percent of the total deaths recorded that year.

Heart disease restricts blood flow to the heart. When an artery becomes so blocked that blood flow to the heart is interrupted, the risk of a fatal heart attack is high. In fact, approximately 1.1 million Americans will suffer a heart attack each year. The longer the flow of blood to the heart is restricted, the more damage occurs to the heart tissue. Quick treatment can mean the difference between life and death for heart attack victims.

Understanding the signs and symptoms of a heart attack is therefore critical. It is imperative to seek medical attention immediately if you or a loved one experiences any combination of the following heart attack symptoms:

• Discomfort or pain in the chest
• Jaw, neck or back pain
• Pain in one or both arms
• Stomach pain
• Nausea, feeling lightheaded or dizzy
• Sweating, shortness of breath
• Indigestion

Heart attack symptoms are often so closely related to the symptoms of other conditions that proper diagnosis is sometimes difficult. Many patients think they are merely experiencing heart burn or indigestion. Early and proper screening for a heart attack is essential for survival.

Early treatments can help halt the heart attack and reduce the risk for a repeat attack. Angioplasty, coronary bypass surgery, and other "clot busting" treatments are most effective when treatment is begun as early as possible, ideally within one hour of the onset of the heart attack.

Patients that report to the emergency room with heart attack symptoms must undergo testing as soon as possible. Electrocardiograms, blood tests, coronary angiography, and nuclear scans are among the best lines of defense for early detection. Again, the most important factor (to reduce lasting damage) is that these heart attack diagnostic tests be performed as quickly as possible.

Sadly, sometimes medical personnel fail to perform the tests that could save lives. Certain groups are more at risk for heart attack misdiagnosis. Men over the age of 45 are most likely to suffer a heart attack. For this reason, women and younger patients are sometimes overlooked as potential heart patients when they present the symptoms of a heart attack in the emergency room. Stomach disorders, respiratory ailments, and muscular pain are commonly mistaken diagnoses in place of a heart attack.

You must be a proactive patient. Insist that the medical staff perform adequate testing to rule out a heart attack diagnosis. Speak up for yourself or a loved one. Failure to perform necessary testing can put you at risk for catastrophic and avoidable outcomes.

If you believe you or a family member has been the victim of an diagnosing error, the Kansas City medical malpractice attorneys at Kansas City Accident Injury Attorneys may be able to help. To schedule a free consultation, call 888-348-2616. You can also download a free copy of our resource guide The Truth About Medical Malpractice Claims.

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