Hundreds of thousands of people die each year because they are misdiagnosed in hospital emergency rooms, according to a new study from the U.S. federal government. The report, released Thursday by the Department of Health and Human Services’ Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, found:
7.4 million patients are misdiagnosed of the 130 million annual visits to ERs. The number translates to about 1 in 18 people receiving a wrong diagnosis.
2.6 million patients receive a harm that could have been prevented.
370,000 patients are permanently disabled or die because of the misdiagnosis.
1) Stroke
Stroke is a disease that affects the arteries leading to and within the brain. According to Stroke.org, it is the No. 5 cause of death and a leading cause of disability in the nation. A stroke occurs when a blood vessel that carries oxygen and nutrients to the brain is either blocked by a clot or bursts (or ruptures).
Every 40 seconds, someone in the U.S. has a stroke, and women are more prone to strokes than men.
2) Heart attack
Also known as a myocardial infarction, heart attacks happen when one or more areas of the heart muscle don’t get enough oxygen. According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, it happens when blood flow to the heart muscle is blocked.
If the blood and oxygen supply is cut off, muscle cells of the heart begin to suffer damage and start to die. Irreversible damage begins within 30 minutes of blockage. The result is heart muscle affected by the lack of oxygen no longer works as it should.