| When patients are sent home undiagnosed after a | | | | If a patient displays these or other heart attack |
| heart attack, they do not receive the treatment they | | | | symptoms an ECG or EKG and blood tests should be |
| need to avoid permanent injury, and are at risk for | | | | performed immediately. Elevated levels of the enzyme |
| another heart attack, and may die. Heart attacks are a | | | | tropan, in the blood, can indicate a heart attack. |
| very common medical emergency, but are often | | | | Another enzyme, called Creatine phosphokinase |
| overlooked or misdiagnosed in emergency rooms and | | | | (CPK), can indicate tissue or muscle death. If these |
| during regular doctor visits. When a heart attack is | | | | tests indicate the likelihood of a heart attack, more |
| quickly detected and treated, further damage can be | | | | extensive tests should follow. |
| avoided. Most patients not only survive, but recover | | | | Common misdiagnosis |
| well and can live a normal life. When an impending | | | | Because heart attack symptoms are similar to |
| heart attack is caught before it occurs, it can often be | | | | symptoms of other medical problems heart attacks |
| prevented, which is even better. | | | | are often misdiagnosed as: |
| Predicting heart attacks | | | | · Heartburn |
| Doctors and emergency room staff can often | | | | · Acid reflux |
| anticipate an imminent heart attack by: | | | | · Anxiety attack |
| · Carefully reviewing patient history | | | | · Musculoskeletal pain |
| · Conducting a thorough physical exam | | | | · Bronchitis |
| · Electrocardiogram testing (ECG or EKG) | | | | · Pneumonia |
| · Blood tests | | | | · Esophagitis |
| Detecting heart attacks | | | | · Angina |
| When a heart attack is not anticipated and prevented, | | | | · Gallstones |
| it can still be treated successfully if quickly recognized. | | | | Common mistakes that led to undiagnosed heart |
| Prompt treatment can save a heart attack patient's life | | | | attacks |
| and/or prevent permanent injury. In order to properly | | | | Besides simply mistaking heart attack symptoms for |
| diagnose a heart attack, health care professionals | | | | those of other health problems, doctors and |
| must recognize and respond to the symptoms. These | | | | emergency room staff sometimes don't consider the |
| symptoms include: | | | | possibility of a heart attack in people who seem |
| · Chest pain | | | | unlikely victims. Women are at a much greater risk |
| · Pain radiating through the shoulder, arm, or jaw | | | | than is commonly believed, and young people can |
| · Indigestion symptoms | | | | suffer heart attacks. Certain medications and other |
| · Nausea | | | | underlying health problems can cause heart attacks in |
| · Dizziness | | | | people who don't obviously fit the profile for a heart |
| · Shortness of breath | | | | attack candidate. |
| · Weakness | | | | |