Time Is of the Essence for Stroke Patients

The key to surviving a stroke is immediate medical attention and the accurate diagnosis of stroke by a medical professional.

Misdiagnosis of heart attacks or strokes is a common type of medical malpractice. Patients may file a medical malpractice lawsuit if they are severely injured due to the misdiagnosis of a medical condition by a doctor.

Consequences of Misdiagnoses

Patients want to trust their doctors and feel confident that they can accurately diagnose their medical condition and treat it accordingly. Our St. Louis medical malpractice attorney believes that it is essential to the well-being and life of a patient that any symptoms of serious medical conditions are immediately identified by the doctor. The doctor should promptly provide an accurate diagnosis and offer appropriate treatment. Any misdiagnosis may have negative long-term implications for the patient. Wrong prescriptions and erroneous medical treatment may also result from the misdiagnosis of the medical condition of a patient, leading the doctor to provide medical treatment that can exacerbate the condition of a patient. The patient’s original medical condition may be neglected, which can aggravate it or even lead to the death of the patient.

A doctor may misdiagnose the patient due to a number of reasons, including a lack of medical personnel, congestion in the emergency room, stress, inability to provide full attention to the patient, lack of sleep, or judgment errors. The main thing to consider in such cases is whether the injury could have been avoided if the medical condition was diagnosed properly. Patients may file a medical malpractice lawsuit when injuries due to misdiagnosis could have been avoided.

Misdiagnoses of a Heart Attack

Whenever a heart attack is not diagnosed correctly by a doctor, the patient may suffer permanent heart injury; in some cases, it may even lead to the death of a patient. Failure to diagnose heart attacks may be due to diagnosing the symptoms as other common medical conditions such as fatigue, muscle aches, cold, or acid reflux.

It is important that the doctor performs diagnostic tests when the patient experiences nausea, shortness of breath, chest pains with a stinging sensation, vertigo, fainting, or sweating. These tests can rule out any potential heart attacks. These tests include stress tests, electrocardiograms, echocardiograms, cardiac enzyme tests, coronary artery disease tests, and angiograms.

Misdiagnosis of a Stroke

When stroke symptoms are misdiagnosed by a doctor, the patient may experience severe and lasting brain damage or death. Timely detection of a stroke results in correct and timely treatment, which increases the chances of full recovery for the patient. Blood carries oxygen into the brain, and stroke can block the supply of blood to the brain. Severe and lasting damage to the nerves and brain may be caused by any blockages in the flow of oxygen into the brain. When a stroke is detected early enough and treated as soon as possible, the flow of blood into the brain will continue unhindered, preventing serious and lasting damage to the brain. Treatment may include the administration of medication to break down blood clots.

Strokes may result in:

• Speech problems.
• Decreased intellectual capabilities.
• Incapacitation of one side of the body of the patient.
• Diminished motor skills and sensation.
• Death.

Anyone who has suffered serious injuries due to the failure of a doctor to provide an accurate diagnosis of a heart attack or stroke may wish to file a medical malpractice lawsuit. Call Zevan and Davidson Law Firm at (314) 588-7200 for a free consultation.