Key points about heart attack misdiagnosis and medical malpractice:
- Heart attacks are the leading cause of death in the U.S.
- 1 in 5 heart attacks are “silent,” where the person doesn’t have any major symptoms.
- Women under 55 often don’t have classic heart attack symptoms, increasing the chances of misdiagnosis.
- Patients (or families) can pursue compensation for a heart attack misdiagnosis if it can be proven that a doctor, nurse, or hospital failed to meet the expected standard of care.
A heart attack is the number one cause of death in the U.S.—but far too often, it’s misdiagnosed. For patients and families, the consequences are devastating.
Sometimes, the patient survives but is left with lasting damage that leads to ongoing health problems and a reduced quality of life that could have been prevented with timely care. Other times, the mistake tragically costs someone their life.
It’s worth asking: If heart attacks are so common, why are they being misdiagnosed so often?
Well, for one, heart attacks don’t always look the same in every patient. Women, younger adults, and people with certain health conditions may show symptoms that aren’t “classic,” leading some doctors to dismiss the symptoms or misdiagnose the condition and delay life-saving treatments.
So, when does a missed heart attack cross the line into medical malpractice?
That’s the question families often ask after they’ve been left picking up the pieces. In this article, we’ll break down why heart attack misdiagnosis happens, who’s most at risk, and when a patient or their family may be able to pursue compensation through a malpractice lawsuit.
If you have further questions or would like help filing a medical malpractice claim after a heart attack misdiagnosis in Florida, reach out to the experienced Tampa physician negligence attorneys at Palmer Lopez.
What is a heart attack?
A heart attack, also called a myocardial infarction, happens when the heart muscle is deprived of blood due to a sudden blockage. Without enough oxygen-rich blood, that part of the heart becomes damaged or starts to die.
The blockage is usually caused by a buildup of plaque (a mix of fat, cholesterol, and other substances) in the coronary arteries. If a piece of this plaque breaks loose, it can form a blood clot that cuts off circulation to the heart.
Some heart attacks are sudden and intense, but many start with mild discomfort that builds over time. Either way, a heart attack is a medical emergency. Quick treatment can save heart muscle, reduce long-term damage, and save lives.
What is the difference between a heart attack and cardiac arrest?
People often use the terms “heart attack” and “cardiac arrest” interchangeably, but they’re not the same thing. Here’s the main difference:
- Heart attack (myocardial infarction). A heart attack happens when blood can’t flow properly to part of the heart, usually because of a clot in the coronary arteries. The heart muscle doesn’t get enough oxygen, which causes damage. The heart usually keeps beating during a heart attack, though it may beat irregularly.
- Cardiac arrest. Cardiac arrest is when the heart suddenly stops beating altogether. Without a heartbeat, blood can’t be pumped to the brain, lungs, or other organs, and the person quickly loses consciousness. This is a rhythm/electrical problem in the heart, and it’s immediately life-threatening. Cardiac arrest can be caused by many things, including a severe heart attack.
Basically, a heart attack is like a circulation or “plumbing problem” (blocked blood flow), while cardiac arrest is an “electrical problem” (the heart stops beating). A heart attack can lead to cardiac arrest, but they aren’t the same.
Did you know?
Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In 2023, it claimed more than 919,000 lives, or about 1 in every 3 deaths nationwide.
How many people die of heart attacks every year in the U.S.?
Every year in the U.S., heart attacks affect a staggering number of people. According to the CDC, on average, someone has a heart attack every 40 seconds. That adds up to roughly 805,000 heart attacks each year.
Of those, about 605,000 happen to people experiencing their very first heart attack, while another 200,000 occur in people who’ve already had one before.
What’s even more concerning is that around 1 in 5 heart attacks are “silent”—meaning the person doesn’t realize it’s happening, even though the heart is being damaged.
Can a heart attack be misdiagnosed?
Yes, a heart attack can be misdiagnosed—and it happens more often than many people realize.
One of the biggest reasons is that not all heart attacks look the same. According to the American Heart Association, younger women in particular (under 55) often have different or less obvious symptom patterns than men.
Instead of the “classic” crushing chest pain that most people associate with heart attacks, women may experience:
- Neck or jaw pain
- Back or arm pain
- Dizziness or nausea that feels like heartburn
- General discomfort or fatigue, with chest pain showing up later
Because these symptoms don’t always fit the “typical” picture, doctors sometimes fail to connect them to a heart attack and may delay or miss the diagnosis altogether.
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What is commonly mistaken for a heart attack?
Chest pain, shortness of breath, nausea, and dizziness aren’t always caused by a heart attack—but they can be. Because these symptoms can overlap with other medical problems, patients are sometimes misdiagnosed with a different, less critical condition instead.
This is especially common in high-volume emergency rooms, where ER doctors are more prone to mistakes due to heavy caseloads and time pressures.
Here are some of the most common conditions that are mistaken for heart attacks:
- Acid reflux (GERD). Stomach acid backing up into the esophagus can create burning chest pain similar to cardiac discomfort.
- Panic or anxiety attack. Rapid heartbeat, chest tightness, shortness of breath, and sweating during a panic episode can closely mimic heart attack symptoms.
- Gallbladder disease. Gallstones or inflammation can cause upper abdominal pain that radiates to the chest or shoulder, making it hard to tell it apart from heart pain.
- Muscle strain. A pulled chest or shoulder muscle may trigger sharp, movement-related pain that feels similar to cardiac pain.
- Pneumonia or bronchitis. These lung infections cause chest pain, coughing, and breathing difficulty, which can overlap with heart attack signs.
- Costochondritis. This condition involves inflammation of rib cartilage, which can cause chest tenderness that may be mistaken for heart-related pain.
- Peptic ulcers. Stomach or intestinal sores can lead to gnawing or burning pain in the upper abdomen or chest, resembling heartburn or a heart attack.
- Pulmonary embolism. A blood clot in the lungs can cause chest pain, shortness of breath, and rapid heartbeat, symptoms that often look like a heart attack.
- Aortic dissection. A tear in the aorta, the body’s main artery, can cause sudden, severe chest or back pain—sometimes misdiagnosed as a heart attack.
Because so many conditions share overlapping symptoms, doctors should always rule out a heart attack first before diagnosing and treating something less urgent.
In the news: Florida doctor disciplined after misdiagnosis of heart problem leads to patient’s death
In July 2024, in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, a doctor was disciplined after failing to properly diagnose and treat a patient’s life-threatening heart condition.
According to the Miami Herald, Dr. Anna Abel was fined a mere $3,000 by the Florida Board of Medicine and ordered to pay about $6,000 in case costs, along with completing additional medical education courses. A malpractice lawsuit brought by Levy’s widow later resulted in a $250,000 settlement.
The case involved 75-year-old Rudolph Levy, who arrived at Palm Beach Gardens Medical Center in February 2020 with chest pain, nausea, high blood pressure, and other warning signs. Records show Dr. Abel admitted him to an outpatient telemetry unit instead of ordering further testing.
The Florida Department of Health later determined that Abel failed to diagnose an aortic dissection, a serious tear in the aorta, which led to cardiac arrest and death after delayed surgery.
This case highlights how misdiagnosis of cardiac events can have fatal consequences, reinforcing why timely recognition and treatment of conditions like aortic dissections and heart attacks are critical in preventing avoidable deaths.
What happens to patients with misdiagnosed heart attacks?
When a heart attack isn’t caught and treated quickly, the damage can be permanent. Every minute that blood flow to the heart is blocked, more of the heart muscle dies. That’s why a misdiagnosis isn’t just a medical error—it can be life-changing for patients and their families.
Possible complications include:
- Arrhythmias. Damage to the heart muscle can disrupt its normal electrical signals, causing irregular heartbeats. Some arrhythmias are minor, but others can be dangerous or even fatal.
- Heart failure. If too much of the heart muscle is damaged, the heart may no longer pump blood effectively. This can lead to chronic fatigue, swelling in the legs, and severe limitations on daily activities.
- Sudden death. A heart attack that goes untreated can trigger cardiac arrest, where the heart stops beating altogether, which is often fatal.
Beyond survival, quality of life is often at stake. Patients who live through a misdiagnosed heart attack may deal with lasting damage that makes everyday tasks like climbing stairs or carrying groceries difficult. Some may no longer be able to continue working, especially if their jobs require physical effort or long hours.
On top of these physical challenges, many patients struggle emotionally—coping with anxiety, depression, or the constant fear of another cardiac event. Families often share the impact as well, taking on caregiving duties and adjusting to a new normal that affects everyone in the household.
Can you get compensation for a heart attack misdiagnosis?
Yes—if a heart attack was misdiagnosed and that mistake caused serious harm or wrongful death, you may be able to pursue compensation through a medical malpractice claim. But not every heart attack qualifies. To succeed in a heart attack misdiagnosis lawsuit, you’ll have to show that the doctor or hospital was negligent.
So, what’s required to prove negligence in a medical malpractice lawsuit for a heart attack misdiagnosis?
Physicians are expected to meet a “standard of care,” which basically means they must act the way a reasonably careful doctor with similar education and experience would in the same situation.
So, if they ignored warning signs, failed to order appropriate tests (like an EKG or blood work), failed to perform life-saving treatments (like a cardiac catheterization), or made errors during coronary artery bypass (CABG) surgery, that could be considered negligence.
To bring a malpractice case, you and your attorney must prove 3 main things:
- A doctor-patient relationship existed, and the provider owed you a duty of care.
- The provider was negligent by failing to act according to accepted medical standards.
- That negligence caused harm, meaning the misdiagnosis directly led to worse outcomes—such as permanent heart damage, loss of quality of life, or death.
Because these cases often hinge on a close review of medical records, it takes a medical malpractice attorney who knows how to spot inconsistencies and potential negligence—something that can be difficult since healthcare professionals are trained to document in ways that protect themselves.
An experienced medical malpractice lawyer in Tampa can work with trusted medical experts to scrutinize medical records and build a strong case. With the right advocate, you can pursue compensation to cover medical bills, lost wages, long-term care needs, and the pain and suffering caused by the misdiagnosis.
Injured by a heart attack misdiagnosis in Florida? Our Tampa medical malpractice attorneys can help!
At Palmer Lopez, medical malpractice isn’t just one of the many cases we handle—it’s our primary focus.
That matters because proving malpractice after a heart attack misdiagnosis requires more than showing a doctor made a mistake. It takes attorneys who understand how to dig into complex medical records, work with expert witnesses, and hold healthcare providers accountable when they fail to meet the standards of care.
If your health has been permanently harmed—or you’ve lost a loved one—because a doctor failed to diagnose a heart attack or another life-threatening condition in time, you deserve answers and accountability.
Contact our Tampa medical malpractice lawyers today for a free consultation, and let us put our experience to work for you.
References
Brush, J. E., Krumholz, H. M., Greene, E. J., & Dreyer, R. P. (2020). Sex Differences in Symptom Phenotypes Among Patients With Acute Myocardial Infarction. Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes, 13(2). https://doi.org/10.1161/circoutcomes.119.005948
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024, October 24). Heart Disease Facts. CDC; CDC. https://www.cdc.gov/heart-disease/data-research/facts-stats/index.html
Greenwood, M. (2018, February 19). Heart attack symptoms often misinterpreted in younger women. YaleNews. https://news.yale.edu/2018/02/19/heart-attack-symptoms-often-misinterpreted-younger-women
Neal, D. J. (2024, July 14). A Florida doctor misdiagnosed a fatal heart problem. The fine for the doctor: $3,000. Miami Herald. https://www.miamiherald.com/news/health-care/article290055154.html
