Common Misdiagnoses of Pulmonary Embolism

A pulmonary embolism is a blockage of the lung's main artery by a blood clot that has traveled from another part of the body. Usually the clot originates from deep veins in the legs in a process known as venous thromboembolism. Another cause of a pulmonary embolism is embolization of air, fat or amniotic fluid, but this process occurs less often than venous thromboembolism. The blockage in the lung basically obstructs blood flow, and the resulting pressure on the heart's right ventricle leads to symptoms that include difficulty breathing, palpitations and chest pain. Other clinical signs include oxygen saturation, cyanosis, rapid breathing and a rapid heart rate. If the signs of pulmonary embolism are not caught in time, the condition can exacerbate and lead to lung collapse, an abnormally low blood pressure and in the worst case, even death. Diseases such as cancer may increase the risk as will inertia that accompanies prolonged sitting or bed rest.

Proper Diagnosis of Pulmonary Embolism

Diagnosis for a pulmonary embolism involves a combination of laboratory tests and imaging tests. These include:

• Blood gases
• Chest X-ray
• ECG
• Lung scans
• Duplex ultrasound
• Pulmonary angiography
• V/Q ratio radionuclide lung scan
• Venography (X-ray of the leg veins)

Treating a pulmonary embolism requires hospitalization so that the patient can be monitored. Blood thinners or anti-coagulants are administered in addition to oxygen and analgesia. Thrombolytic drugs help dissolve the clots. Another medication prescribed is heparin, which reduces bleeding in patients. In some cases emergency surgery, especially surgical removal of the embolus, is required.

Common Misdiagnoses of Pulmonary Embolism

It is imperative that a pulmonary embolism be diagnosed correctly as soon as possible, because a delayed treatment may lead to death. In some cases, however, the condition is mistaken for other conditions such as acute myocardial infarction, pneumonia, pericarditis, congestive heart failure or pleurities. When a condition is misdiagnosed, the wrong treatment may be administered which may exacerbate the patient's health. At the same time, the actual condition is not being treated at all.

Talk with an Attorney

If you have suffered injury or a family member has died because of a misdiagnosed pulmonary embolism, you may recover damages for medical malpractice (or wrongful death). These damages may include the additional medical expenses incurred because of the malpractice, the lost wages from time off, and the unnecessary pain and suffering. In a wrongful death case, you may recover costs for funeral expenses, wages lost from the deceased wage earner as well as lost companionship. Talk with an experienced medical malpractice attorney to discuss your case.