Misdiagnosing Heart Attacks
October 25, 2006 by Lei
Filed under Diseases & Conditions
After Beatrice Vance died of an undiagnosed heart attack in the waiting room of her local emergency department this past summer, the coroner’s jury ruled her death a homicide. But hers was not an isolated case. USA Today has an in-depth article featuring James Pettry who died of a heart attack the day after being sent home from the emergency room.
An estimated 1 in 50 heart attack victims are not treated appropriately. Not only are the mistakes potentially deadly, they’re also very costly for physicians who are sued in malpractice cases. Dr. Joseph Ornato, professor and chairman of the Department of Emergency Medicine at Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center in Richmond, advises patients and those who are involved in their care to “push doctors who are not listening.” But you won’t know to push unless you understand what to look for and what to expect.
Read the USA Today article and the accompanying comments at On Deadline to learn more.
Technorati Tags: heart, heart disease. heart attack, misdiagnosis, malpractice, diseases, health, cardiovascular disease, emergency room
