Misdiagnosis of heart attacks can be fatal

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The blood the heart pumps provides oxygen to the body’s cells and deoxygenated blood then returns to the heart through the lungs to replenish its supply and recirculate. When Texas residents experience a problem with their heart, the matter can soon turn serious since the heart is a critical organ in the functioning of the entire body.

One unfortunate common condition that affects many Americans is a heart attack. A heart attack happens when blood flow to the heart is restricted. This often happens when fat or plaque builds up in the arteries and blood can no longer get back to the organ. Although heart attacks can be treated, not every person who goes to the hospital suffering from a heart attack gets the right diagnosis.

Heart attack symptoms can vary and, for this reason, medical professionals sometimes miss the important diagnostic elements of catching and treating heart attacks. Nausea, sweating and dizziness may be misdiagnosed as a transient illness, while pain and shortness of breath may be characterized as stress, anxiety or other mental conditions.

When the heart stops working a person’s condition may quickly deteriorate. The person may need immediate medical treatment, but depending on the symptoms the person may not get the care they need due to diagnostic errors and misdiagnosis. Delays in the treatment of heart attacks may become fatal mistakes in the care of medical patients, and when medical malpractice causes heart attack deaths the families of victims should be prepared to act. Legal claims may be pursued against negligent medical professionals who fail to diagnose heart attacks in their patients.