Infective Endocarditis and Medical Negligence
A rare but potentially-fatal heart infection, endocarditis requires prompt diagnosis and treatment. A failure by medical professionals to recognise and respond to the signs and symptoms of this condition may justify a claim for compensation for the patient's pain, suffering and financial losses.
The potential impact of infective endocarditis
Infective endocarditis, a bacterial infection of the lining of the heart, is known to have the potential to cause serious health complications for the patient, and even death. A prompt diagnosis, however, can give the patient the best chance of treatment and recovery.
A delay in diagnosis can leave the patient facing the possibility of succumbing to a range of serious complications including the following:
- Heart failure
- A stroke, where a blood clot has travelled from the heart to the brain
- Brain disease
- Meningitis
- An abscess in the brain
- Blindness
- Damage to the kidneys or the spleen
- Joint infections
- Physical weakness to one side of the body
Where these complications, or others, do not prove to be fatal, it is clear that they may, nonetheless, cause the patient severe and long-term disability and loss of independence.
Claiming compensation
Many of these serious complications are likely to reduce the patient's capacity to work, to travel and to carry out normal, everyday tasks. The patient may require specialist care or accommodation as a result of their physical problems.
Losing the ability to work and, consequently, their income can be devastating.
Where long-term and significant complications such as the above are the result of a delay in diagnosis and treatment of this appalling condition, it may be appropriate to make a claim for compensation. A successful compensation claim can provide recompense for loss of earnings and help the patient to cope with the impact of the condition on their daily life.
Diagnosing and treating infective endocarditis
An early diagnosis is fundamental to improving the patient's long-term outcome. A delay in diagnosis and treatment, however, can occur for a number of reasons:
- As a fairly rare disorder, many medical professionals may be unfamiliar with the symptoms of infective endocarditis, meaning that they fail to consider this condition as an explanation for the patient's symptoms
- Early symptoms, such as a headache, fatigue and weight loss, may be confused with a variety of other disorders and lead to a misdiagnosis, delaying investigation for infective endocarditis
- Medical professionals may fail to organise the necessary investigations such as blood tests or an echocardiogram, meaning that the patient's true complaint remains undiagnosed
- Those patients who are more at risk of this condition, such as those with heart disease or intravenous drug-users may not be identified and therefore the cause of their symptoms may remain unresolved for some time.
- Some patients about to undergo surgical procedures may require prophylactic antibiotics to prevent infection and a failure by medical professionals to recognise this, allowing the patient to develop endocarditis, may be regarded as negligent.
Seeking legal advice
If you or a loved one are suffering the effects of infective endocarditis due to delays by medical professionals, contact Glynns Solicitors to discuss your situation with a medical negligence solicitor.
We are a specialist legal practice, with extensive expertise in a wide range of medical negligence conditions. One of our team of solicitors will be very happy to talk to you.
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