Common Misdiagnoses of Asphyxia

Asphyxia is the inability to breathe, resulting in a decrease of oxygen throughout the body. Asphyxia leads to general hypoxia, the lack of oxygen to the organs and tissues. One form of asphyxia is choking or strangulation. Other causes of asphyxia include:

• acute respiratory distress syndrome
• asthma
• breathing toxic fumes
• carbon monoxide poisoning
• choking on a foreign object blocking airway
• collapsed lung
• heart failure
• suffocation

Those suffering asphyxia may show a combination of the following symptoms:

• breathing difficulty
• convulsions
• cyanosis
• high blood pressure
• paralysis
• rapid pulse

 In extreme cases, the asphyxia may lead to a coma or death.

Diagnosing Asphyxia

Because of the exigency need for oxygen, asphyxia must be identified quickly so that proper treatment may be administered. Some causes will be obvious, such as choking on a foreign object. This situation requires life-saving measures to remove the object. In other cases, emergency measures such as expired air resuscitation or cardio-pulmonary resuscitation may be required.

If the cause is not immediately identified, a treating doctor may have to do diagnostic testing to determine what is causing the asphyxia. The doctor will need to do a physical examination and take a medical history to determine what diagnostic testing, if any, must be done. If, for example, the asphyxia is identified as a symptom in conjunction with other symptoms and the suspected cause is heart failure, the doctor will then order further diagnostic testing which may include blood gas tests, an EKG, chest x-ray and an echocardiogram. In treating the underlying disorder or disease, the asphyxia may disappear.

Common Misdiagnoses of Asphyxia

Misdiagnosis of asphyxia sometimes occurs if the symptoms for the condition are subtle or do not present an emergency situation. A doctor may assume it is some form of asthma (although asthma may be an underlying cause in some cases, but not all) or whooping cough. If the asphyxia is misdiagnosed, the doctor may not diagnose the hidden cause such as heart failure, a collapsed lung or a foreign object blocking the airway. A misdiagnosis in these cases can lead to death.

Talk with an Attorney

If you or a family member has suffered harm due to a misdiagnosis of asphyxia, you may have a cause of action for medical malpractice. A successful claim may recover damages for the additional medical costs arising from the malpractice. Other damages can include wages lost for additional time off from work, any rehabilitation or therapy now required. Additionally, pain and suffering may be allowed in some cases. Talk with an experienced medical malpractice attorney to discuss possible compensation for your injury.