Monday, August 26, 2013

Medical Malpractice and Cardiovascular Disorders

Did you suffer from a cardiovascular disorder? Did you lose a loved one to this type of illness? As this is such a common condition in the U.S., it is important that people are well-educated regarding the different types of cardiovascular disorders and symptoms which accompany each. Heart failure is a condition that affects approximately five million people across the country. On top of this, there are a further 550,000 new cases of heart failure every year. Heart failure does not actually mean that the individual's heart has failed. It simply means that the heart is not working at is maximum capacity in various degrees. As a result, the blood will not as effectively be able to bring nutrients throughout the body. The two main types of heart failure are systolic dysfunction and diastolic dysfunction and doctors can determine which type of heart failure it is by administering an ejection fraction test.

Another common and serious type of cardiovascular disorder is coronary heart disease. This is caused when plaque builds up in the arteries, causing the blood flow to be reduced. This plaque can be caused by fat and other substances building up on the walls of the arteries. When the individual is still in the early stages of coronary heart disease, the most common side effect will be pain in the chest. There could also be a pressure on the chest and shortness of breath. If the doctor suspects that the patient is suffering from coronary heart disease, they can administer a CT scan, an echocardiogram, or a nuclear stress test.

Many people throughout the U.S. suffer from angina. There are three main types of angina: stable, unstable, and Prinzmetal's angina. Angina is a side effect of other cardiovascular disorders and its main symptom is pain or discomfort in the chest area. Anyone who is suffering from angina should immediately seek medical attention as it could be pointing to a more serious underlying issue. If a doctor misdiagnoses angina, they could also be failing to detect other issues the patient is dealing with.

If you suffered from any of these conditions, how do you know if medical malpractice played a role in the case? The first element which must be proven in a malpractice case is that there was a doctor-patient relationship. This step is usually easy to legally prove. After this, it will have to be shown that the doctor did not uphold their duty of care. If they were negligent in their treatment of their patient and this treatment resulted in injury, they could and should be held accountable for their actions. By getting in touch with a medical malpractice attorney, you could learn more about whether or not you have a solid case.