Late Diagnosis of Heart Failure
Failing to recognise the symptoms of chronic heart failure can be catastrophic. Should the patient survive a heart attack, they may still be left with a variety of debilitating symptoms including kidney problems.
NICE Guidelines
NICE Guidelines, which have been recently updated, make clear recommendations as to the diagnosis and management of patients with suspected heart failure.
Their recommendations include the following:
- Specialist assessment and echocardiography within two weeks with patients highly suspected of suffering with heart failure
- Specialist assessment and echocardiography within 6 weeks for patients suspected of suffering with heart failure
It is important that initial examinations and tests identify patients who may be developing this condition and require urgent treatment; whether that be surgery or medication.
Heart failure symptoms
Symptoms of heart failure could include the following:
- Breathlessness
- Fatigue
- Swollen ankles
- A persistent cough
These symptoms could be misdiagnosed as indicative of other conditions so the context of the patient should be taken into consideration. For example, taking a thorough history of the patient's health could reveal that they present with one or more of the risk factors for heart failure such as the following:
- Obesity
- Diabetes
- High alcohol intake
- High blood pressure
- The patient is a smoker or is a drug user
- The patient suffers from coronary artery disease
- A patient who has already suffered a heart attack
Medical negligence
Not suspecting that a patient may be suffering from heart failure, especially in what might be considered to be 'at-risk' patients may be considered to have been a substandard level of care.
Speak to a solicitor
If you or a loved one are suffering with the long-term severe impact of a late diagnosis of heart failure, contact us to talk to a specialist medical negligence solicitor.
It may be appropriate to make a claim for compensation.
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