Failure to Diagnose a Heart Attack Oregon

Heart Attacks and Medical Malpractice: Why a Failure to Diagnose a Heart Attack Could Result in Serious Injury or Wrongful Death

When we think of medical malpractice, we typically think of conduct such as a slip of the scalpel or anesthesia errors.  We may also think of birth injuries with a baby during the birthing process.  However, most of us do not think about Oregon medical malpractice as being an omission or a failure to act.  Indeed, medical malpractice is a type of negligence action.  And negligence can be for a reckless act OR omission which causes preventable harm.  Most people do not think that this type of failure could be medical malpractice, but it absolutely can.  A common example is a failure to diagnose a heart attack in Oregon.

This is a potentially catastrophic type of injury for a victim.  The reasons are obvious.  Even young children are taught how dangerous a heart attack can be.  Young children know that a heart attack is a very serious and potentially deadly condition that needs emergency medical treatment.  This is for good reason, as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevent (CDC) provides statistics that show heart disease is the number one killer in the United State and one person dies every 37 seconds from a heart attack or cardiovascular disease.  That means that one in every four deaths in the United States is from heart disease, including heart attacks.  The CDC also states that there fore 805,000 heart attacks each year in the United States, but that about one in every five heart attacks is silent and a person never becomes aware of it despite the damage being done.

Why Heart Attacks Need to Be Immediately Diagnosed

A heart attack is when blood flow to one part of the heart is blocked.  Also known as a myocardial infarction, the block in the artery is usually a blood clot caused by plague.  This means that oxygenated air cannot reach the rest of the heart which causes parts of the heart to die due to oxygen deprivation.  The common expression in medicine is “time is tissue,” which means the longer that there is no oxygen, the longer that tissue will continue to die.  

Thus, a heart attack needs immediate medical care and treatment.  The longer that a heart attack is not diagnosed and treated, the longer that there is the potential for serious injury to the heart and the likelihood of death.

Why a Failure to Diagnose a Heart Attack in Oregon Could be Medical Malpractice

A healthcare provider who fails to diagnose a heart attack may be committing medical malpractice in Oregon.  The doctor may also be causing the victim to be wrongfully killed due to the negligence of the healthcare provider.  This is because a heart attack must receive immediate medical care and attention. 

Some of the most common causes of Oregon heart attacks include the following:

• Delaying in treating a patient, such as in an emergency department or from an ambulance
• Leaving a heart attack patient (or suspected heart attack patient) unsupervised in a room without monitoring equipment
• Failing to evaluate each complaint of the patient seriously and thoroughly
• Ignoring a patient’s symptoms 
• Delays in ordering diagnostic tests
• Misreading diagnostic tests results like EKGs, or losing the results or transferring the results to the wrong doctor which delays getting answers from the test
• Ignoring the patient’s complaints
• Discharging a patient who is still having a heart attack
• Discharging a patient without determining what is wrong
• Misdiagnosing a heart attack as another condition like muscle soreness, pulled intercostal muscles, acid reflux, bad heartburn, or another condition
• Neglecting a patient
• Negligent hiring of staff including untrained staff who do not know how to properly handle a heart attack
• Delays in treating a patient at a hospital due to understaffing, and
• Many other common causes.

Did a Loved One Suffer Serious Personal Injuries Due to a Heart Attack?  Call Our Oregon Law Firm for Help

If you or a loved one have been seriously injured or killed as a result of medical malpractice contact the Oregon Medical Malpractice Lawyers at Kuhlman Law at our number below or fill out the intake form.  We offer a free initial case evaluation and handle cases on a contingency fee which means that you pay no money unless we recover. 

Our law firm handles cases throughout the state including Bend and Portland Oregon, Redmond, Central Oregon, Sisters, Madras, Multnomah County, Deschutes County, Salem, Eugene, Corvallis, Lane County, Medford, Gresham, La Grande, Albany, Medford, Beaverton, Umatilla, Pendleton,  Cottage Grove, Florence, Oregon City, Springfield, Keizer, Grants Pass, McMinnville, Tualatin, West Linn, Forest Grove, Wilsonville, Newberg, Roseburg, Lake Oswego, Klamath Falls, Happy Valley, Tigard, Ashland, Milwakie, Coos Bay, The Dalles,  St. Helens, Sherwood, Central Point, Canby, Troutdale, Hermiston, Silverton, Hood River, Newport, Prineville, Astoria, Tillamook, Lincoln City, Hillsboro, and Vancouver, Washington.  

We also have an office in Minneapolis, Minnesota and take medical malpractice cases throughout the Twin Cities, including St. Paul, Hennepin County, Ramsey County, Dakota County, Washington County, Anoka County, Scott County, Blaine, Stillwater, and Saint Paul Minnesota.  

Please act quickly, there is a limited time (Statute of Limitations) in which you can bring a claim under the law.