Tragic Consequences of a Misdiagnosed Stroke

A misdiagnosed stroke can have devastating consequences.  A Missouri medical malpractice attorney can help you receive rightful compensation.

Explanation of a stroke.

In the United States, stroke is the main cause of adult disability as well as the fourth leading cause of death. Some of the serious effects of stroke happen due to diagnostic failures. Such failures include overlooking signs of impending stroke and failure to diagnose stroke. Proper diagnosis may be helpful in timely treatment. Diagnosis can be made by carefully reviewing the patient’s history and conducting a radiology study of the arteries.

What Is a Stroke?

A stroke is the abrupt death of brain cells due to a lack of oxygen. A stroke can also be caused by blood flow interruption in the brain. When a brain artery blockage or rupture occurs, a stroke occurs. It is important to note that at times patients experience stroke-like symptoms when they are experiencing a Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA). Though TIA is not a stroke, its occurrence is marked as a warning sign because it may occur just before a full-blown stroke. A TIA attack basically occurs for ten to twenty minutes and once treated promptly can prevent any future life-threatening attacks.

Damage From Undiagnosed Stroke

Time is of the essence when it comes to stroke. If quick action is taken, the damage can be halted, and at times it can be reversed altogether. When it is left undiagnosed, treatment cannot be offered in time. As a result, brain cell death continues, which if left unchecked can lead to permanent brain damage or death. Consequences brought about by undiagnosed or wrongly diagnosed stroke include:

• Seizures
• Paralysis (often on one side of the body)
• Memory problems
• Reading and writing difficulties
• Pain
• Depression
• Brain injury
• Loss of motor skills
• Difficulties in speaking
• Swallowing problems
• Behavioural changes
• Death

What Are the Symptoms of Stroke?

Regardless of the fact if you have a family history of stroke or not, the symptoms listed below should be taken seriously:

• Weakness in limbs
• Tingling sensation in limbs
• Severe headache
• Speech difficulty, especially in finding and pronouncing words
• Confusion
• Change of vision such as blurriness (double vision) and dimness
• Weakness, heaviness, paralysis, or numbness on one side of the body
• Sudden loss of strength in the legs
• Dizziness, loss of balance, and coordination
• Difficulty in understanding speech
• Complete loss of vision
• Fainting

Medically Preventable Strokes

Missouri medical malpractice attorneys inform us that some of the errors that take place in hospitals may lead to further complications in patients of stroke. At times such errors are preventable.

• Improper test readings
• Delays in conducting stroke tests and administering stroke treatment
• Failure to order and conduct stroke tests with the urgency they deserve
• Failure to test for stroke in seemingly healthy patients
• Laboratory errors
• Failure to seek neurological specialist help in time
• Failure to conduct a proper and thorough medical history search
• Failure to perform a thorough physical check
• Failure to test for stroke in younger patients

If you have suffered because of stroke misdiagnosis, consult with Zevan and Davidson Law Firm at (314) 588-7200 to understand your legal rights.

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