Failure to Diagnose Heart Attack

Pennsylvania Medical Negligence - Heart Attack Claims

The failure to recognize, diagnose, or treat heart attack is a common basis for a claim of medical malpractice. The consequences are often fatal for the patient, and in many cases involving emergency medicine or other primary care, the medical errors are fairly basic. For a free case evaluation concerning a claim for personal injury or wrongful death damages based on failure to diagnose or treat the signs of imminent heart attack, contact the Pittsburgh medical malpractice lawyers at Biancheria & Maliver.

Primary care physicians can run into trouble with the diagnosis and treatment of heart disease in cases where there is no prior history or symptoms of cardiac problems and the patient is young or fit enough that the risk of heart attack is not obvious. In these situations, a family history of heart disease, the effects of recent stress, or high cholesterol levels can be easy to overlook.

General practitioners, emergency room, and primary care physicians should never commit the following errors:

• Discharge a patient with chest pain
• Fail to read and understand the results of an EKG
• Prescribe medication without considering the effect on cardiovascular performance

Aggressive testing and treatment of heart disease can halt and even reverse the conditions that can lead to heart attack, but a physician's negligent failure to diagnose and understand the risk factors can render useless even the most advanced diagnostic and therapeutic techniques.

At Biancheria & Maliver, we have the legal experience and medical understanding necessary to develop the case for liability against the negligent doctor. For a free consultation about your right to damages in cases involving a failure to diagnose heart disease or the risk of heart attack, contact a Pennsylvania medical malpractice attorney at our downtown Pittsburgh office.