Failure to Diagnose Heart Disease: Medical Malpractice
When a medical professional fails to recognize the signs and symptoms of heart disease, he or she may have committed medical malpractice in the form of “failure to diagnose.” A general practitioner is responsible to listen to a patient’s heartbeat, test blood pressure and identify family history of heart disease. In some cases, a general practitioner may refer a patient to a heart specialist or make their own diagnosis. The purpose of these steps is to use the warning signs of heart disease to make a diagnosis and start a treatment plan before a heart attack happens. It goes without saying then that failure to diagnose heart disease puts the patient at serious risk for a potentially life threatening heart attack.
Read MoreTop 7 Causes of Wrongful Death
In Washington State, a case qualifies under the “wrongful death” statute when “the death of a person is caused by the wrongful act, neglect, or default of another.” Wrongful death may occur as a result of many situations including medical malpractice, when a person dies under the care of another, car accidents or criminal acts.
If a person is killed because of the wrongful conduct of a person or persons, the decedent’s heirs and other beneficiaries may file a civil lawsuit – specifically a wrongful death action – against those responsible for the decedent’s death. A wrongful death lawsuit must be proven by a “preponderance of the evidence”, which is easier to demonstrate than the “beyond a reasonable doubt” standard necessary for conviction in a criminal case.
Read MoreHeart Disease and Stroke Prevention Guidelines
Heart disease and strokes are the number one and number four leading causes of death in the United States. About one-third of American adults have elevated levels of bad cholesterol and nearly two-thirds have high blood pressure or pre-hypertension. Approximately 610,000 Americans endure a first stroke every year and another 525,000 have a first heart attack. To help reduce these statistics, new heart disease and stroke prevention guidelines were released by the American Heart Association and American College of Cardiology in 2013.
Read MoreMedical Errors are Third Leading Cause of Death in United States
We have all heard of horrific medical errors like tools being sewn back up into a patient or having the wrong limb amputated but the perception that these types of errors were rare has been shattered through research. The National Institutes of Health landmark report issued in 1999 called “To Err is Human” estimated that medical errors caused 98,000 deaths each year. A new study published May 3 in the peer-reviewed medical journal BMJ analyzed four previous studies conducted between 2000 and 2008 and concluded that medical errors are now the third leading cause of death in the U.S., actually accounting for 251,000 deaths annually; more than respiratory disease, accidents, stroke and Alzheimer’s. This number equates to almost 700 deaths per day or about 9.5 percent of all deaths annually in the United States. It is almost triple the number of deaths found to be the result of medical errors in the 1999 study. Part of the reason for the disparity is that the recent analysis delved deeper into causes ranging from incompetent doctors to communication breakdowns between staff as a patient is handed off to a different department.
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Read MoreMedical Malpractice: Difference Between Negligence and Gross Negligence
When a patient is harmed by the negligence of a medical professional, they may suffer for the rest of their lives. A medical malpractice lawyer can examine the aspects of your case to determine whether medical negligence or gross negligence has occurred, then identify the value of your claim and help you recover damages.
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Read MoreAm I Having a Stroke?
United States Stroke Statistics
- Approximately 795,000 Americans each year suffer a stroke; about 600,000 of these are first time incidents and 185,000 are recurrent attacks.
- Stroke kills more than 140,000 Americans each year; it is the third leading cause of death in the United States.
- Stroke is the leading cause of serious, long-term disability in the United States.
- Almost three-quarters of strokes occur in people over the age of 65. In fact, a person’s risk of having a stroke more than doubles each decade after the age of 55. But one in four strokes happen to people under the age of 65.
- Between 1995 and 2005, the stroke death rate fell by 30 percent and the actual number of stroke deaths declined by 14 percent.
- High blood pressure is the biggest risk factor for stroke.
- A person’s risk of stroke doubles if they are a current smoker
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Read MoreWhat is a Mini Stroke?
A mini stroke, or transient ischemic attack (TIA) happens to thousands of Americans every year and research is indicating that it can be a warning sign that a serious stroke is on the way. Up to 20 percent of people who have a mini stroke will go on to have a major stroke in the next three months. Unfortunately, many people do not seek medical attention after TIS and end up suffering a stroke before they are seen by a doctor.
Brain Ischemia Defined
Ischemia occurs when the brain is deprived of blood and oxygen when blood vessels that would normally carry these entities become blocked by blood clots or cholesterol plaques. Neurons in ischemic areas starve and stop functioning.
Read MoreDo you know the Warning Signs of Stroke?
A stroke can happen without warning and sometimes without the victim knowing they had a stroke. While some strokes are debilitating and others have few lasting signs, it can be an advantage to know the symptoms in order to seek the help needed. If you or a loved one was injured by a stroke that may have been caused by the reckless treatment of a medical professional, call a medical malpractice attorney today.
In the Unites States, a stroke happens about every 40 seconds, affecting about 795,000 Americans each year. Do you know the warning signs of stroke?
Read MoreHeart Disease Treatment Plan
A heart disease treatment plan is typically the same for both men and women and includes such things as lifestyle changes, medicine, surgery, and cardiac rehabilitation.
Heart Disease Treatment Plan
Lifestyle Changes
Lifestyle changes are a key component to treating and preventing future heart attacks. The most important lifestyle change is to quit smoking, which can harden arteries and raise your risk for heart disease.
Read MoreKeep Your Heart Healthy with this Workout Plan
A regular workout plan has many benefits; one of them is keeping your heart in good shape. Our hearts are a muscle and they get stronger and healthier with regular exercise. Incorporating a workout plan, however simple, into your week can be a vital component in warding off heart disease and other health problems. Exercise can be as simple as a daily walk or playing basketball with your buddies; people who don’t exercise are almost twice as likely to get heart disease as people who are active.
Among its benefits, a workout plan can help you lower your blood pressure and decrease your “bad” cholesterol while increasing your “good” cholesterol.