If You Have These Symptoms, Go to the Emergency Room, It Could Save Your Life
If you or your family member experienced a delay in the emergency room that adversely affected the outcome, you may have legal rights that should be investigated. There are some emergency medical conditions where every minute counts. Delays in getting the proper treatment can make a difference between life and death or between a full recovery and living with permanent debilitating injuries.
Two such conditions are heart attacks and strokes. Sometimes adults have classic symptoms, and sometimes the symptoms can be harder to describe and more subtle. In any event, prompt emergency care is essential for a good outcome.
Unfortunately, many people fail to get prompt and proper medical treatment. Sometimes family members fail to recognize the symptoms, and sometimes hospital personnel do not adequately respond to the patient’s symptoms. This happens more frequently with women and older patients, since they often experience less dramatic symptoms and studies show that doctors tend to treat them less aggressively.
Here are some tips and signs to look for:
Heart Attack Signs and Symptoms
The classic sign is severe chest pain. You should call 911 if you or your family member has this symptom. However, about 30% of adults having a heart attack do not experience chest pain and wait up to 8 hours before going to the hospital. This happens more often with women. Other groups who may have a harder time being diagnosed are nonwhites, people older than 75 and those with a history of heart failure or diabetes.
According to Consumer Reports Medical Guide, one or more of the following symptoms, with or without chest pain, may be a sign of a heart attack:
-Sudden, unexplained shortness of breath, faintness, nausea or intense fatigue
-Very strong burning sensation in your chest or intense indigestion
-Heart palpitations
-Sudden, unexplained pain in the center of your chest, your back, shoulders or jaw
If you think you are having a heart attack call 911 immediately and chew an aspirin (unless you have been told otherwise by your doctor).
Classic Stroke Signs and Symptoms
The classic signs of a stroke may include:
-Weakness, numbness, or tingling in face, arm or leg on one side of the body
-Difficulty speaking or understanding words
-Vision loss, particularly in one eye
-Severe dizziness, lack of coordination or an unexplained fall
-Severe, unusual headache, often with vomiting
Women and sometimes older people experience more subtle symptoms so remember to be alert if you or your family member seems to have these types of symptoms.
STRATEGIES TO INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF GETTING PROPER CARE
-Before you have an emergency, identify hospitals in your area that perform emergency cardiac procedures such as angioplasty and which hospitals participate in special programs for the treatment of stroke patients. If you suspect you are having a heart attack, or a stroke, ask to be taken to one of those hospitals, if at all possible.
-Call 911 when you first notice the symptoms.
-Tell the ambulance personnel and the hospital personnel that you think you are having a heart attack or a stroke. If your symptoms are not the typical ones, explain why you think this and remember to tell them about all risk factors you have that they need to know about.
For more information on heart attacks, strokes and other medical conditions, go to Consumer Reports Medical Guide.