Failure to diagnose a heart attack happens due to some error on the part of the physician or the patient. A hurried overworked doctor does not carefully listen to the patient’s complaints and may miss out on something or the patient does not provide all the information required.
- Failure to diagnose a heart attack occurs
- When the patient is young
- No previous history of any heart problems
- When the symptoms are absent
- There is no family history of heart attack in the family and
- Risk factors such as high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, smoking, high cholesterol blood levels, a sedentary lifestyle and alcohol consumption are absent
- Changes not seen on ECG even though heart attack is present
When a heart attack is misdiagnosed, it is usually confused with:
- Angina
- GERD – gastroesophageal reflux disease
- Panic attacks especially in women
- A pulled chest muscle
- Stomach ulcer
- Gallbladder stones and
- A fractured rib.
