About 1.5 million heart attacks occur in the United States each year, and studies show that about 11,000 cases are not properly diagnosed, resulting in unnecessary deaths.
Women are 50% more likely than men to be given an incorrect diagnosis when having a heart attack. Heart attack symptoms for women differ from men. The common symptoms usually don’t arise in women. In 2016, the American Heart Association issued a scientific statement on heart attacks in women, saying women are more likely to have atypical symptoms such as:
- Back pain
- Jaw pain
- Nausea and vomiting
- Shortness of breath
- Lightheaded feeling or dizziness
It’s these less common heart attack symptoms that cause an overwhelming amount of misdiagnosed heart attacks. There are even instances where the common symptoms are misdiagnosed, usually with younger patients. Doctors don’t suspect or anticipate younger people to have heart attacks leading them not test for them.
Medical error is often the cause of this. Failure to perform the necessary tests to rule out a heart attack, not looking into a patients medical history, or even misreading test results can all be to blame for misdiagnosing a heart attack. When a delayed or incorrect heart attack diagnosis occurs it could cause permanent damage or even death.
If you or a loved one have suffered or are suffering with injury and/or disability, or have lost a loved one, as a result of a health care provider’s failure to diagnose a heart attack you could receive compensation for all that you have endured. The Pennsylvania heart attack attorneys at The Pisanchyn Law Firm want to help you gain some peace of mind after this devastating event. We will stop at nothing to ensure you get the compensation you deserve.
Call now toll free at 1-800-444-5309 for a free consultation. We have offices in Scranton, Harrisburg and Pittsburgh and will travel to you.
