People often consider heart attacks to be potentially fatal events, thinking of them in binary terms. Either the person had a heart attack and passed away, or they were saved and recovered. Perhaps they were rushed to the hospital or received treatment from EMTs.
While this is technically true, it is important to note that the heart itself can become permanently damaged during a heart attack. Even if someone survives, this could leave them with significant damage for the rest of their life. The severity of the damage often depends on how quickly they get treatment and how severely the blocked artery reduces blood flow to a certain portion of the heart.
The heart forms scar tissue
If the heart muscle is damaged after losing blood supply, it will often form scar tissue during healing. This can take a number of months, depending on the severity of the injury, a person’s health, the way their body naturally heals and other such factors.
This scar tissue can mean that the heart is weaker than it used to be. It may struggle to pump the same amount of blood as it did before. A person who suffers a heart attack and is injured could be at greater risk of another heart attack in the future.
This is important for anyone who suffers a heart attack to understand, especially if they believe it was the result of medical malpractice. Even if they survive, they could still have a malpractice case because they have suffered a permanent injury that could change their quality of life. Those who are in this position need to know exactly what legal options they have at this time.