Heart attacks aren’t always correctly diagnosed

Many people assume that all heart attacks happen just like the dramatic ones that they see in movies or TV shows. This isn’t usually what happens. Heart attacks can be very subtle, even while they’re causing significant damage to the heart.

Medical professionals should know the signs of a heart attack so they can evaluate patients based on their symptoms. Even when the symptoms are mild, they should ensure they’re doing the tests necessary to determine if there’s a heart attack occurring.

Misdiagnosis is more common in women than men

A study presented at the online conference ESC Acute CardioVascular Care 2021 found that heart attacks are often misdiagnosed in women. This is problematic because it can delay the correct diagnosis and subsequent treatment. One issue is that women are more likely to wait at least 12 hours after the onset of chest pain to go to seek medical care.

When it comes to doctors diagnosing the cause of chest pain, around 5% of women were initially diagnosed incorrectly, while only around 3% of men were. The author of the study remarked that heart attacks are usually thought of as a male disease. Unfortunately, that conception puts women at great risk of serious damage because of delayed or missed diagnosis and treatment.

People who have a heart attack that goes undiagnosed can suffer from serious problems. In some cases, it can be fatal. If it’s possible that negligence played a role in the missed diagnosis, seeking compensation for the damages can help to hold the negligent parties accountable for the issue. Florida law sets time limits for these cases, so be sure that you get started quickly.