Sunday, January 27, 2008

Another Misdiagnosis which Led to Death?

From: joyce marie c. alvarez
jm_joycec@yahoo.com

Subject: Another Misdiagnosis which Led to Death?

On April 27, 2005, my mother complained that she was not feeling well and vomited. We brought her to Capitol Medical early morning. The doctors at the emergency room asked her medical history. We told them she had ischemia. The doctors gave her medicine for dizziness only and just let her lie down on the emergency bed. My husband and I were there the whole time. After a few hours, around 11 am, my mother said she was fine, (though she still looked weak), and wanted to go home. I asked the doctor if she could go home and they allowed us to go home with a diagnosis of vertigo, and just reminded us to see her doctor after a few days for follow- up.

But after a few days, my mother died.

I woke her up that Friday morning, April 29 but she didn’t wake up anymore. We were all so surprised with her sudden death because she never complained of anything except that time we brought her to Capitol which they said was just vertigo. We brought her back to Capitol that Friday morning (since it was the nearest hospital), and I saw the resident who gave that diagnosis, and you know what I told her: " You said that my mother was fine and now she's dead". In her death certificate, they wrote as cause of death: myocardial infraction. I was not able to get the resident's name but I would still remember her face. I also remembered after her death, her blood pressure was not checked before we left the hospital. Maybe, if they checked her BP or did some other tests or observed her more, maybe they could have detected something else and not just vertigo. After giving her medicine for dizziness, they just left us and did not do anything anymore.

I am not a doctor but I believe that there may have been a misdiagnosis or they didn’t care much to the patient (who was my mother) because she was just complaining of dizziness and vomiting water and they had other things to do. Its been three years but I guess your email gave me an opportunity to let you or others know especially the doctors to take time when looking into their patients and be responsible.
To the doctors, we seek for your advice because we believe in your expertise. Do not let your patients lose faith in you or the hospital where you are serving because you also carry the hospital's name whenever you treat a patient.
Joyce

6 comments:

john..... said...

"Another Misdiagnosis which Led to Death?" was a very well written and informing post. thanks author, i would like to say something on Medical negligence claim, The claim you make is what is known as compensation. Compensation varies from claim to claim with claims to compensate patients for hospital expenses being available. If you can't work anymore you can claim loss of income and if you went through intense psychological stress you can also be compensated.

Medical negligence claims can be filed against any staff member of a hospital with whom you were in contact with. Effectively this means you can lodge a claim against: the doctor; a nurse; an aesthetician or even a general claim lodged against the hospital itself.

medical negligence said...

Medical negligence claims are always legally complex. The outcome of a case will often depend on whether the action taken or not taken by the professional was unreasonable in the circumstances. This can be difficult to prove, which is why it is essential that a qualified and experienced legal team be used for medical negligence claims.

Unknown said...

March 1, 2011 at around 4:30pm my 3 year old daughter was admitted at FATIMA MEDICAL CENTER, Valenzuela City with the chief complaints of moderate abdominal pain associated with several episodes of vomiting and on and off fever. Assessment data ( as stated at clinical abstract)
Admitting Impression: TO CONSIDER URINARY TRACT INFECTION WITH SOME DEHYDRATION....here is the assessment data!!!!
HEENT: anicteric sclera, pale palpebral conjuntiva, (-)tonsillopharyngeal congestion, (-) cervical lymphadenopathy, sunken eyeballs, dry lips, dry oral mucusa
CHEST/LUNGS: Symmetrical chest expansion, claer breath sounds,(-)retractions
HEART: Adynamic precordium,regular rhythm,slightly thachycardic, (-) murmur
EXTREMETIES: full and equal pulses,(-)cyanosis,(-) edema

IV Fluid started ,Laboratory test and chest x-ray done. Was given diphenhydramine IV at around 6:00pm. Vomited at emergency room twice but no further examination conducted.

She was brought to pedia ward around 8:30pm with ongoing IV fluid. Still vomited twice but scanty in amount. Put on strict NPO .Around 12mn she was febrile and was given paracetamol syrup by the nurse on duty and diphenhydramine IVTT was administered.

Around 2 am she experienced difficulty of breathing, IVF site dislodged, nurses and attending physicians reinserted many times but failed. It was so sudden, 3 doctors resuscitated. 5:45 am my daughter was pronounced dead. Final Diagnosis....CARDIAC ARREST SECONDARY TO SEVERE DEHYDRATION!!!!!!!

March 3, 2011...9:00pm NBI did an autopsy...result: cause of death is RUPTURED VISCUS

Unknown said...

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09281994718


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March 1, 2011 at around 4:30pm my 3 year old daughter was admitted at FATIMA MEDICAL CENTER, Valenzuela City with the chief complaints of moderate abdominal pain associated with several episodes of vomiting and on and off fever. Assessment data ( as stated at clinical abstract)
Admitting Impression: TO CONSIDER URINARY TRACT INFECTION WITH SOME DEHYDRATION....here is the assessment data!!!!
HEENT: anicteric sclera, pale palpebral conjuntiva, (-)tonsillopharyngeal congestion, (-) cervical lymphadenopathy, sunken eyeballs, dry lips, dry oral mucusa
CHEST/LUNGS: Symmetrical chest expansion, claer breath sounds,(-)retractions
HEART: Adynamic precordium,regular rhythm,slightly thachycardic, (-) murmur
EXTREMETIES: full and equal pulses,(-)cyanosis,(-) edema

IV Fluid started ,Laboratory test and chest x-ray done. Was given diphenhydramine IV at around 6:00pm. Vomited at emergency room twice but no further examination conducted.

She was brought to pedia ward around 8:30pm with ongoing IV fluid. Still vomited twice but scanty in amount. Put on strict NPO .Around 12mn she was febrile and was given paracetamol syrup by the nurse on duty and diphenhydramine IVTT was administered.

Around 2 am she experienced difficulty of breathing, IVF site dislodged, nurses and attending physicians reinserted many times but failed. It was so sudden, 3 doctors resuscitated. 5:45 am my daughter was pronounced dead. Final Diagnosis....CARDIAC ARREST SECONDARY TO SEVERE DEHYDRATION!!!!!!!

March 3, 2011...9:00pm NBI did an autopsy...result: cause of death is RUPTURED VISCUS

reynold said...

There are times when the patient or the acompanying one is at fault. Why did you not bring her the day after for follow-up. You noticed your mother was still weak. Maybe she just said that she's fine so that you could not pay more.

Veeaye said...

Do you know any good medical malpractice lawyers? If so please let me know. Veeaye@adam.com.au