Posted in News on April 16, 2015
Montana residents should be interested to know that according to a medical study, women tend to wait much longer than men before seeking medical treatment after experiencing a heart attack. Also, once they do get to the ER, more often than not, their symptoms are routinely misdiagnosed.
The study used the medical data of 30 women whose ages ranged from 30 to 45 years of age; these women had to be hospitalized after suffering from a heart attack. The study concluded that the main reason for the delayed medical treatment was primarily due to the fact that most of the women simply did not know that they had suffered a heart attack. They were not aware of what the symptoms of a heart attack were, and, thus, did not feel the need to seek medical attention.
What is equally as troubling is that the women who believed that they may be experiencing a heart attack were reluctant to raise their concerns to someone else for fear of being wrong.
Exacerbating the problem is that a number of doctors often diagnose the symptoms as either indigestion or a panic attack. One of the authors of the study stated that it is imperative that women are better educated on the symptoms of a heart attack and what one feels like. It is also important that women do not feel any stigma or judgment of relaying their health concerns to their doctors.
Seeking or receiving delayed treatment or receiving a misdiagnosis can result in serious harm to patients. For anyone who is concerned about the standard of medical care they received at a hospital or from a healthcare provider, they may find it helpful to talk with a medical malpractice attorney.
Source: National Public Radio, “Women Having A Heart Attack Don’t Get Treatment Fast Enough,” Maanvi Singh, April 6, 2015