When a Heart Attack Is Missed
A heart attack is a medical emergency. Getting appropriate treatment quickly can be critical to limiting damage to the heart.
Sometimes, however, a person seeks medical attention and is told that nothing serious is wrong. Symptoms may be attributed to indigestion, anxiety, muscle pain, or another less serious condition. A patient may be sent home without the testing, monitoring, or treatment that should have been considered.
When a heart attack is missed or diagnosed too late, the consequences can be devastating.
Diez-Arguelles & Tejedor represents patients and families who believe a healthcare provider failed to recognize, diagnose, or appropriately treat a heart attack.
Diez-Arguelles Tejedor stands up for patients and families affected by missed heart attacks and delayed diagnosis. Our attorneys are committed to protecting your rights, investigating what went wrong, and helping you pursue the compensation you may be entitled to.
Call (407) 705-2880 to learn how we can help.
The Warning Signs May Not Always Be Obvious
Heart attacks do not always present in exactly the same way.
Common symptoms can include:
- Chest pressure, pain, or discomfort
- Pain or discomfort in the arm, shoulder, back, neck, jaw, or upper abdomen
- Shortness of breath
- Sweating
- Nausea or vomiting
- Lightheadedness or weakness
- Unusual fatigue
Some patients may experience symptoms that are less typical, particularly women, older adults, and people with certain medical conditions.
The fact that symptoms are not textbook does not necessarily mean that a serious cardiac condition should not have been considered.
The question in a medical negligence case is whether the healthcare provider appropriately evaluated the patient's symptoms and risk factors under the circumstances.
What Can Go Wrong?
A missed heart attack can involve several different failures in care.
For example, a healthcare provider may:
- Fail to recognize concerning symptoms
- Fail to obtain an appropriate medical history
- Fail to perform an appropriate examination
- Fail to order an ECG or other appropriate testing
- Fail to properly interpret an ECG
- Overlook abnormal laboratory results
- Fail to recognize a patient's cardiac risk factors
- Fail to monitor a patient whose symptoms are continuing or changing
- Fail to obtain a cardiology consultation when appropriate
- Misdiagnose the symptoms as a less serious condition
- Discharge the patient without appropriate evaluation or instructions
- Fail to provide appropriate treatment after recognizing a cardiac problem
A poor outcome alone does not establish medical negligence. Florida law requires evidence that the healthcare provider failed to meet the applicable professional standard of care and that the failure caused the patient's injury.
When the First Visit Was the Missed Opportunity
One of the most important questions in these cases is often:
What should have happened when the patient first sought medical care?
A patient may visit an emergency room complaining of chest discomfort and be discharged. They may see a physician for fatigue or shortness of breath. They may return days later after suffering a more serious cardiac event.
The medical records can reveal what the provider knew at the time, what testing was performed, what the results showed, and what decisions were made.
That timeline can be critical.
A Delayed Diagnosis Can Mean More Damage
When a heart attack is not recognized promptly, the patient may suffer additional injury before appropriate treatment begins.
Depending on the circumstances, a delayed diagnosis may contribute to:
- Permanent heart damage
- Reduced heart function
- Arrhythmias
- Heart failure
- Cardiogenic shock
- Additional cardiac procedures
- Long-term medical treatment
- Reduced ability to work or perform daily activities
- Permanent disability
- Death
The extent of the injury can depend on many factors, including the type and location of the cardiac event and how quickly appropriate treatment was provided.
Reviewing What Happened
A missed heart attack case requires a careful review of the medical evidence and the sequence of events surrounding the patient’s care.
We may review emergency room records, physician and nursing notes, ECGs, cardiac monitoring, laboratory results such as troponin levels, imaging studies, medication records, vital signs, and prior medical history. We may also examine discharge instructions, follow-up records, cardiology records, and records from any subsequent hospitalization.
The timing and progression of events can be particularly important.
What symptoms were reported? What did the provider know? What tests were ordered? What did those tests show? What happened after the patient was discharged?
By examining the full sequence of events, we can better understand whether the symptoms were appropriately evaluated, whether important warning signs were missed, and whether the care provided met the applicable standard.
When an ECG or Test Result Was Overlooked
Testing can be an important part of evaluating a patient with possible cardiac symptoms.
But ordering a test is only part of the process. Test results must also be appropriately reviewed and acted upon when they indicate a potential problem.
If a patient's ECG, laboratory results, or other diagnostic information contained findings that should have prompted additional evaluation, those records may become an important part of a medical negligence investigation.
When a Patient Is Sent Home
Being discharged from an emergency room does not, by itself, mean that negligence occurred.
The circumstances surrounding the discharge matter.
A case may require examining the patient's symptoms, risk factors, examination, test results, clinical course, treatment, and instructions at the time the decision was made.
If the patient returned shortly afterward with a heart attack or another serious cardiac condition, the records from both visits may provide important evidence about what happened during the initial evaluation.
The Consequences Can Extend Beyond the Heart
A serious cardiac injury can change far more than a person's physical health.
Someone who previously worked full-time may no longer be able to perform the same job. A person who was independent may require assistance with everyday activities. Families may suddenly face additional medical expenses, rehabilitation, lost income, and significant emotional strain.
When evaluating a claim, we consider the full impact of the injury, not simply the initial hospitalization.
When a Missed Heart Attack Causes Death
Some of the most devastating cases involve patients who die after a heart attack was not recognized or treated appropriately.
Families may be left with difficult questions:
- Were the warning signs recognized?
- Were appropriate tests performed?
- Were abnormal results properly interpreted?
- Should the patient have been admitted or monitored?
- Should a specialist have been consulted?
- Could earlier treatment have changed the outcome?
A review of the medical records and the circumstances surrounding the patient's care can help determine whether those questions warrant further investigation.
When medical negligence results in death, Florida's wrongful death laws may also apply.
Experience With Serious Medical Negligence Cases
A missed heart attack case is not simply about showing that a patient suffered a heart attack.
It requires examining what the healthcare provider knew, what should reasonably have been recognized, what testing and treatment were appropriate, and whether a delay or failure in care caused additional injury.
Diez-Arguelles & Tejedor has represented patients and families in serious medical negligence cases involving significant injury and death.
Our attorneys work with qualified medical professionals when appropriate to evaluate the medical evidence and determine whether the applicable standard of care was met.
If Your Heart Attack Wasn't Recognized in Time
You sought medical attention because something was wrong.
If your symptoms were dismissed, your condition was misdiagnosed, or you were sent home only to later discover that you were suffering from a heart attack, you may have questions about the care you received.
You deserve an opportunity to have those questions investigated.
Diez-Arguelles & Tejedor investigates medical negligence claims involving missed and delayed heart attack diagnoses.
Serving injured individuals and families throughout Orlando and across Florida. Call Diez-Arguelles & Tejedor at 1-888-888-3773 to discuss your legal options in a free consultation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Potentially. A missed diagnosis does not automatically establish medical malpractice. A claim generally requires evidence that the healthcare provider failed to meet the applicable professional standard of care and that the failure caused injury.
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