A heart attack misdiagnosis can certainly be a fatal mistake by a doctor. Say that a loved one goes to the emergency room and says they’re having a heart attack, but the doctor thinks that they are just having a panic attack or experiencing stress, so the doctor tells them to go home and get some rest. They lie down in bed and pass away because they never actually got treatment for their heart attack.
Not only is this a risk, but studies show that it happens to women more often than it does to men. Why is it that women would have a greater risk of a medical misdiagnosis in this situation?
Heart attack symptoms
Every case is unique, but a big part of the reason is that doctors are looking for the wrong symptoms. Rather than looking for female symptoms, the doctors are assuming the patient will present male symptoms.
But there can be a big difference in how various genders talk about heart attacks. Men often talk about having trouble breathing and feeling excessive chest pain. Women, on the other hand, often talk about nausea, dizziness, fatigue or pain in other areas, like the jaw or the neck.
Doctors need to be aware of how these symptoms are different. If the patient doesn’t mention crushing chest pain, the doctor may quickly write off a heart attack. But that’s a dangerous assumption to make with a female patient who may not present the same symptoms.
If you have lost a loved one or suffered harm due to a doctor’s error, be sure you are well aware of all of your legal options moving forward.