Can doctors be held liable for missing a womans heart attack symptoms?

According to the American Heart Association, nearly 40 to 60 percent of heart attacks occur without any noticeable symptoms.  Women with heart disease often do not receive a proper diagnosis because they have a form of the disease that doesn’t show up on the usual diagnostic tests.  Among those who show signs of trouble on stress tests, women are more likely than men to appear free of blockages on follow-up angiograms.  One of the most common undetected conditions is known as coronary microvascular disease, which affects the heart’s smallest coronary arteries.  Women are more likely to experience this condition possibly due to a drop in estrogen levels during menopause.  Newer tests, including ultrasound of the blood vessels revealed heart problems that angiograms did not detect.  Therefore, it is important for you to be knowledgeable about the types of tests that are available.

Common symptoms that women may experience include:

• Feeling breathless, often without chest pain of any kind
• Flu-like sensations, specifically nausea, clamminess or cold sweats
• Unexplained fatigue, weakness or dizziness
• Pain in the upper back, shoulders or jaw

If you believe that your physician should have diagnosed your condition, you should consult with a medical malpractice attorney who can advise you on how to proceed.

Talk to a Medical Malpractice Lawyer to find out what options you have to hold the doctor liable for his diagnosis failure.

Good luck.