Coronary Artery Disease and Medical Malpractice

Coronary artery disease, also known as CAD, is the build-up of plaque on the arteries that supply oxygen-rich blood to the heart; a misdiagnosis, late diagnosis, or failure to diagnose coronary artery disease can lead to a medical malpractice lawsuit against a medical professional.

As CAD is a gradual disease (it takes time for the plaque build up to become a more serious problem), there are many stages through which medical malpractice is possible. What follows is a brief discussion of how the diagnosis of coronary artery disease often goes, so if you have noticed any abnormality in your situation or suspect other negligence, you should contact a medical malpractice lawyer in your area as soon as possible.

How is coronary artery disease diagnosed?

Coronary artery disease often has no symptoms during its earliest stages; as the plaque builds up, however, patients may experience pain, particularly in the chest. Sometimes the first sign of coronary artery disease is a heart attack, though, and unfortunately sometimes there are no symptoms before a sudden heart attack results in death.

Usually patients with coronary artery disease present with chest pains, and a doctor is likely to perform various tests to determine how the heart is functioning. These tests may include angiograms and stress tests.

Of course the earlier that coronary artery disease is found the better as the less advanced the build-up, the more treatable the disease.

What types of medical malpractice could be associated with coronary artery disease?

There are several ways doctors and other medical professionals could be held liable in a medical malpractice suit that involves coronary artery disease. As previously mentioned, misdiagnosis, late diagnosis, or failure to diagnose CAD could be actionable; also, a doctor that fails to order the appropriate tests or who has interpreted the tests incorrectly could also potentially be held liable.

If you believe that you or a loved one might have a medical malpractice claim related to coronary heart disease, you should contact a medical malpractice lawyer in your area as soon as possible; a statute of limitation could prohibit you from filing a lawsuit after a certain amount of time has passed, so you want to get moving on your potential claim as soon as possible.