Diagnosis of Cardiovascular Disease
Cardiovascular disease is one of the main causes of death in the UK. A prompt recognition of the condition may save the patients life.
What is cardiovascular disease?
Cardiovascular disease refers to a range of conditions affecting the heart and blood vessels, usually associated with a build-up of fatty tissue in the blood vessels which might increase the development of blood clots and increase the risk of heart attack.
Impact of cardiovascular disease
According to the British Heart Foundation, cardiovascular diseases account for the following astonishing statistics:
- An average of 420 people die each day in the UK from cardiovascular disease
- Approximately 42,000 people under the age of 75 die from cardiovascular disease in the UK each year
- More than a quarter of deaths in the UK each year are caused by cardiovascular disease
Diagnosing cardiovascular disease
An early diagnosis of cardiovascular disease is necessary to prevent the further deterioration of the patient. With a clear diagnosis, it may be possible for medication and life-style changes to reduce the patients risk of a serious development of their condition.
A failure to diagnose the condition can allow the patient to deteriorate or suffer a heart attack.
Symptoms of cardiovascular disease
A patient who is developing this condition might present to their GP with the following symptoms:
- Chest pain
- Chest tightness
- Shortness of breath
- Fatigue
- Pain or weakness in the arms or legs
Cardiovascular disease is not necessarily easy to recognise and the patients broader history and life-style should be taken into consideration when assessing the possible causes of their symptoms.
Risk factors of cardiovascular disease
When a patient attends their GP with the above symptoms and is also associated with one or more of the risk factors below, cardiovascular disease should be considered as a possible diagnosis.
- A family history of cardiovascular disease might indicate that the patient has the same problem
- Patients who smoke may be more like to develop the condition
- Patients who have high blood pressure or high cholesterol are more susceptible to heart problems
- Patients who are diabetic are more vulnerable to the condition
- Patients who are overweight may be more likely to have cardiovascular disease
Medical negligence
A delay in diagnosis can be fatal. Alternatively, it may cause the patient to have a stroke or a non-fatal heart attack, both of which can, nonetheless, cause life-changing symptoms and require the patient to undergo surgical procedures.
If you or a loved one have suffered significant, long-term symptoms due to a failure to diagnose that you were suffering with cardiovascular disease, it may be appropriate to consider making a claim for compensation.
Contact us to discuss your situation with a specialist medical negligence solicitor.
Call us free on 0800 234 3300 (or from a mobile 01275 334030) or complete our Online Enquiry Form.
Make An Enquiry
Why Choose Us
- Specialist medical negligence solicitors
- Free initial enquiries
- No win, no fee available
Reviews
"I would like to say a big thank you to you for making this whole process easy and relatively painless. You kept me informed throughout and you were always polite and courteous in all forms of communication. I would not hesitate to recommend you to friends and family, so a really big thank you and I wish you all the best in the future."
Mr A.
Our Expertise
Helping Clients Across England & Wales
Free Medical Negligence Guide
'7 Questions You Must Ask Before Choosing A Medical Negligence Solicitor'