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People put their faith and trust in their physicians’ abilities to properly diagnose medical conditions. We all know when something just doesn’t “feel right” with our bodies, and we rely on trained medical professionals to run the proper tests to identify and treat the health problems. Unfortunately, symptoms of serious medical conditions such as cancer and heart attacks can be misdiagnosed, leading to grave consequences. A recent study conducted by Health Grades, Inc. found that the failure to diagnose and treat patients' health conditions in time to avoid injury or death is the most common type of medical malpractice taking place today. According to that study, 15.5% of hospital patients were misdiagnosed and 20-40% of patients treated in an emergency room setting were misdiagnosed. Cancer misdiagnosis Early detection of cancer is vital for successful treatment, higher survival rates, and decreased medical costs. When cancer is diagnosed after the disease has progressed, more drastic forms of treatment are required. Intense cancer treatments (such as higher doses of radiation and chemotherapy) are not only painful and debilitating but cause added medical expenses. There are a variety of reasons why cancer can be misdiagnosed, including: • Failure to recognize or correctly interpret symptoms reported by the patient
• Failure to review family medical history when considering symptoms
• Failure to identify an obvious lump during breast examination
• Failure to perform recommended tests (such as prostate exams, cervical exams and mammograms) at the correct time interval
• Failure to order x-rays, CT scans or MRIs
• Failure to recognize visible cancer cells during exams (for skin cancer)
• Failure to diagnose a tumor as benign or mistake a tumor for an infection
• Failure to perform biopsies of abnormal tissue
• Improper labeling or handling of biopsy specimen
• Failure to properly interpret diagnostic test results
• Failure to respond quickly to abnormal test results and begin necessary treatment
• Failure to follow-up with the patient
Heart attack misdiagnosis Heart attacks (also known as acute myocardial infarction) are very common and can be fatal. A heart attack is an injury to the heart muscle caused by lack of oxygen. It usually occurs when blood flow to the heart is interrupted by a blood clot or coronary artery spasm. In many cases, people are unsure that a heart attack is occurring because the pain can be mild or intermittent. Many heart attacks start slowly and have a range of symptoms such as: • Chest pain or discomfort (uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness)
• Pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw or stomach
• Shortness of breath
• Cold sweat
• Nausea or light-headedness
Heart attacks are typically seen in men over age 45, so the condition is often misdiagnosed in women and younger adults. Reasons why heart attacks can go misdiagnosed include: • Failure to order or correctly read diagnostic tests (such as ECG, cardiac imaging, serum cardiac markers and certain inflammatory indicators)
• Failure to consider the patient’s medical history and current medications (some drug interactions can increase the risk of heart attack)
• Failure to consider the patient’s lifestyle (exercise; alcohol, drug or tobacco use)
• Failure to assess the patient’s age, previous heart problems, timing of the symptoms or menopause
What recourse can you take if your medical condition has been misdiagnosed? Medical malpractice attorneys will work with a team of medical experts to examine your unique situation and help you get the compensation you deserve. You may be entitled to compensation for injuries or disability, medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering or even a loved ones death. If you or a loved one has suffered injury, harm or death due to misdiagnosis of a medical condition such as cancer or heart attack, contact the medical malpractice attorneys of Snyder & Wenner, P.C. in Phoenix, Arizona as soon as possible for a free case evaluation.
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