It’s never wise to assume that a heart attack is going to look the same in every patient. The symptoms can vary tremendously. For men, the main symptom is chest pain. This pain may be very severe and may radiate down the left arm. Men may also complain about chest pressure, trouble breathing and things of this nature. These are the symptoms that most people expect to see.
However, medical professionals point out that the symptoms can be quite different. The Director of the John Hopkins Columbia Heart Failure Clinic even went so far as to bluntly say that: “Women are much more likely to have atypical heart attack symptoms.”
Women may still have chest pain, but it’s also more likely for them to have things like indigestion or back pain. Some complain about issues like jaw pain or minor types of discomfort. A woman may simply feel nauseous and think that she’s having a gastronomical issue.
Why is this important?
This becomes very important when people go to the hospital believing that they are having a heart attack. It’s up to the doctor to make a diagnosis and provide proper treatment. Many of these individuals may have no idea if it is actually a heart attack themselves, but they trust the doctor to figure it out.
However, if the doctor assumes that the patient should have common male heart attack symptoms, he or she may not believe that a female patient is also having a heart attack. This delay in diagnosis could mean that women are in greater danger of passing away, simply because of the care that they receive.
If you believe that a negligent doctor made a mistake that harmed you or a loved one, then you’ll need to know exactly what legal steps you can take and what options you have for your future.