Spotting the Signs of Stroke: How to Avoid Stroke Misdiagnosis

Time is brain. When a stroke strikes, every second counts. Prompt diagnosis and treatment are crucial to minimizing damage and improving outcomes. Unfortunately, for some patients, a missed or delayed diagnosis leaves them with significant disabilities or even death. At Gage Mathers Law Group, we have seen firsthand the devastating consequences of stroke misdiagnosis in cases like those of Mark and Jill. Their stories are powerful reminders of the importance of recognizing the signs of stroke, and advocating for a proper workup with misdiagnosis seems probable.

Stroke Symptoms: Avoid Stroke Misdiagnosis

Recognizing the symptoms of a stroke is essential to ensuring timely treatment. The acronym FAST BENCH can help you remember the key warning signs:

• Face: Drooping on one side of the face; do they have an uneven smile.
• Arms: Weakness or numbness in one arm; if they raise both arms does one drift down.
• Speech: Slurred speech.
• Time: Act quickly; call 911 immediately for any of the above.
• Balance: Loss of balance or coordination, dizziness.
• Eyes: Blurred or double vision, or sudden loss of vision.
• Numbness: Numbness or weakness of face, arm, or leg, especially on one side.
• Confusion: Trouble speaking or understanding speech.
• Headache: Severe headache with no known cause.

Importantly, women can also experience:

• General weakness,
• Disorientation and confusion or memory problems, and
• Fatigue, nausea or vomiting.

However, some signs of stroke in women can be subtle enough to be missed or brushed off. Therefore, immediately seek emergency medical attention if you or a loved one experiences these signs. Make sure to note when the symptoms first appeared since this can have significant implications on the available treatment.

Delays in identifying the signs of a stroke can lead to delays in getting time-sensitive, lifesaving treatment. Advocating for yourself or a loved one can make all the difference, including asking for imaging studies necessary to rule in or rule out a stroke (e.g., MRI or CT). Do not be afraid to voice your concerns to the healthcare providers, especially if you suspect they are missing a potential stroke diagnosis. You know your body best; tell someone if something feels off or not right. If you feel like the providers are brushing you off or ignoring important details, seek a second opinion—without hesitation. Importantly, keep a journal detailing a chronology of your symptoms and how they are progressing.

What Is Stroke Misdiagnosis?

Stroke misdiagnosis occurs when a healthcare provider fails to recognize a patient’s symptoms are being caused by a stroke as opposed to another medical condition. The three most common situations are:

• Failure to consider: Because strokes typically affect older people, some providers fail to consider a stroke when examining a young or seemingly healthy person. The patient is then sent home without testing for a stroke.
• Misdiagnosis as another condition: Several medical conditions mimic stroke symptoms. This often leads to symptoms mistakenly being attributed to a less serious problem (e.g., migraine, vertigo, metabolic disorder, infection).
• Delayed diagnosis: This can occur due to the prior two situations. Maybe, eventually, the stroke symptoms because so obvious or, while investigating another condition proper testing is eventually performed. The most common tests to investigate a potential stroke are blood tests to detect clotting issues or imaging like a CT scan, MRI, or ultrasound.

Stroke Treatment

Stroke treatment depends on the type of stroke and how much time has passed since symptoms began. There are two types of strokes:

• ischemic stroke, and
• hemorrhagic stroke.

The vast majority, 87%, are ischemic strokes.

An ischemic stroke occurs when a blood vessel supplying blood to the brain is obstructed. The most common cause of obstruction is a blood clot. The goal is to restore blood flow, and the best method is to use a clot-busting drug called tPA. However, to be eligible for tPA, presuming you don’t have other contraindications, a doctor must diagnose and treat your stroke within 3 to 4.5 hours from the onset of symptoms. Other treatments may include a procedure to remove the clot and open the blood vessel and medications and treatment to prevent reoccurrence.

A hemorrhagic stroke occurs when a weakened blood vessel ruptures. Weakened blood vessels in the brain come from aneurysms and arteriovenous malformations. Treatment includes controlling blood pressure, reducing brain swelling, and a procedure to remediate the weakened vessel.

Real Stories of Stroke Misdiagnosis

The effects of a misdiagnosed stroke can be catastrophic. While some people recover some function, many victims suffer permanent neurological damage, loss of independence, and even death.

Mark’s Case: Missed Opportunity

Mark was a healthy, active husband and father. He coached high school wrestling. While at practice, he began experiencing symptoms of a stroke, including severe dizziness, nausea, vomiting, and headache. Despite promptly seeking medical attention, his symptoms were dismissed as vertigo. By the time the stroke was correctly diagnosed, the opportunity to avoid permanent disability had passed. The stroke misdiagnosis left him with debilitating physical and cognitive impairments that could have been avoided with a timely diagnosis.

Jill’s Case: A Life-Altering Delay

Jill suddenly developed right-sided weakness and went to the hospital. She exhibited severe neurological symptoms, but the workup at the hospital was delayed. The most opportune time to intervene passed, leaving Jill with significant permanent physical and mental deficits. She lost all independence and will require 24-hour care.

Health care providers undergo a lot of training and make significant amounts of money for society’s reliance on their learned hand. We trust them with our life, limb, and sometimes our deepest secrets. When it comes to strokes, we rely on healthcare providers to catch them early and administer life-sparing treatment. Sadly, that’s not always the case, which is why we put this guide together. It is critical that you are aware of potential stroke symptoms, advocate for yourself, and help avoid a stroke misdiagnosis.

Seeking Justice After a Stroke Misdiagnosis

If you or a loved one suffered harm due to a stroke misdiagnosis, you may have grounds for a medical malpractice claim. Gage Mathers Law Group focuses on holding negligent healthcare providers accountable and securing full and fair compensation for victims. Cases like those of Mark and Jill demonstrate the importance of seeking justice and preventing similar tragedies from happening to others. Contact us today for a free case evaluation.

About the Author

Joseph D'Aguanno

Guided by the belief that being a highly skilled specialist in a narrow field is better than being ordinary in everything, Joseph “JD” D’Aguanno leads Arizona’s best personal injury law firm in Phoenix, AZ. Having extensive cross-training in pre-litigation negotiations and trial lawyer skills, with decades of experience, JD strives to provide clients with the most valuable legal services a personal injury lawyer can provide. Under his direction, Gage Mathers Law Group is an award-winning personal injury law firm providing aggressive representation to victims of a car accident, medical malpractice, dog bite, motorcycle accident, and other injurious events. Gage Mathers is trusted by thousands of lawyers and clients throughout the country because of their reputation for getting clients the maximum compensation they deserve.

Years of experience: Over 23 years
Bar number: 020421
Location: Phoenix, AZ
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