[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BlogPosting","@id":"https:\/\/pkblawfirm.com\/blog\/delayed-stroke-diagnosis-insight-from-a-florida-medical-malpractice-attorney\/#BlogPosting","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/pkblawfirm.com\/blog\/delayed-stroke-diagnosis-insight-from-a-florida-medical-malpractice-attorney\/","headline":"Delayed Stroke Diagnosis – Insight from a Florida Medical Malpractice Attorney","name":"Delayed Stroke Diagnosis – Insight from a Florida Medical Malpractice Attorney","description":"Negligence in Delayed Stroke Diagnosis in Florida When it comes to stroke, any health care provider will tell you \u201ctime is brain.\u201d You may have seen billboards instructing you to act F.A.S.T. when you see the signs of stroke. A delayed stroke diagnosis can be devastating. While some delays are outside of a hospital\u2019s control\u2014such […]","datePublished":"2024-06-06","dateModified":"2025-02-20","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/pkblawfirm.com\/blog\/author\/olivia-kronenberg\/#Person","name":"Oliva Kronenberg","url":"https:\/\/pkblawfirm.com\/blog\/author\/olivia-kronenberg\/","identifier":33,"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/e8110e1ed46e7cf9196d14af8119fc49fbc4dbae40ee3706d145c6e58f43152e?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/e8110e1ed46e7cf9196d14af8119fc49fbc4dbae40ee3706d145c6e58f43152e?s=96&d=mm&r=g","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Paul Knopf Bigger","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"http:\/\/pkblawfirm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/Logo_PKB-2.svg","url":"http:\/\/pkblawfirm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/Logo_PKB-2.svg","width":600,"height":60}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/pkblawfirm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/delayed-stroke-diagnosis.png","url":"https:\/\/pkblawfirm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/delayed-stroke-diagnosis.png","height":720,"width":1280},"url":"https:\/\/pkblawfirm.com\/blog\/delayed-stroke-diagnosis-insight-from-a-florida-medical-malpractice-attorney\/","about":["Medical Malpractice"],"wordCount":755,"keywords":["Medical Malpractice","stroke","stroke delayed diagnosis"],"articleBody":"Negligence in Delayed Stroke Diagnosis in FloridaWhen it comes to stroke, any health care provider will tell you \u201ctime is brain.\u201d You may have seen billboards instructing you to act F.A.S.T. when you see the signs of stroke. A delayed stroke diagnosis can be devastating. While some delays are outside of a hospital\u2019s control\u2014such as how long it takes a patient suffering from a stroke to seek out medical care\u2014negligent delays can happen after a patient arrives at a hospital, resulting in medical malpractice.Two Primary Types of StrokesThere are two primary types of strokes\u2014those caused by blood clots, and those caused by bleeding in the brain. Both can require time sensitive treatment, but they are treated differently.Hemorrhagic Strokes: Bleeding StrokesBleeding strokes, also known as \u201chemorrhagic\u201d strokes, occur when \u00a0a blood vessel in the brain starts bleeding. Bleeding in the brain causes pressure to build up inside of the skull, which can press on the brain and cause serious problems if that pressure isn\u2019t relieved in a timely manner. Neurosurgeons are commonly consulted to help figure out the best way to relieve the pressure inside of the skull. Not all hospitals have neurosurgeons available, and a patient may need to be transferred to a facility that has this important and life-saving capability. Delays can occur in this transfer process, or in recognizing that pressure is building inside of the skull.Ischemic Strokes: Stroke Caused By a Blood ClotThe other type of stroke is caused by a blood clot, also known as an \u201cischemic\u201d stroke. A blood clot forms and lodges in a blood vessel in the brain, cutting off blood flow to part of the brain, and causing the patient\u2019s \u201cstroke symptoms.\u201d When a patient arrives to a hospital in a timely manner, there are two primary treatments that might be available: a clot-busting drug called tPA, and an interventional procedure called \u201cthrombectomy\u201d where a trained specialist uses a tool called a \u201cretriever\u201d to snare the offending blood clot and remove it from where it is lodged, restoring blood flow. Both therapies are aimed at removing the blood clot and restoring blood flow to the oxygen-starved brain.Should a Patient Receive TPA or Thrombectomy?Whether a patient can receive tPA or thrombectomy depends on a lot of unique patient factors. Not every patient is a candidate for these therapies, and in fact, giving these therapies to the wrong patient can do serious harm. Some patients will actually need both therapies in order to treat their condition.TPA: The Clot Busting DrugTPA\u2014the clot busting drug\u2014must be administered within 4.5 hours of onset, but the sooner it is given, the better the odds of a good outcome. Hospitals can prepare themselves best for stroke patients by implementing and enforcing policies and procedures that aim at prompt evaluation and treatment of these at-risk patients.ThrombectomyThrombectomy, on the other hand, can be successful as long as 24-hours after the onset of symptoms. \u00a0How long after onset a patient may benefit from thrombectomy may depend on the results of specialized imaging studies that can give the specialists performing thrombectomies an idea of how much brain there is left to save, or if the damage is already done. Many hospitals that advertise themselves as \u201cprimary stroke centers\u201d do not offer thrombectomy services, and must transfer appropriate patients to hospitals that offer this important treatment. Florida Hospitals Should Be Prepared to Avoid a Delayed Stroke DiagnosisGiven that stroke is a leading cause of disability in the United States, hospitals everywhere should prepare themselves to receive stroke patients. Even if a hospital does not offer a particular service, such as thrombectomy, the hospital can best serve its patients by training its staff on policies that enable the prompt transfer of these patients to facilities where they can get the treatment they need.If you or a loved one is suffering from the devastating effects of a stroke, and you feel that you arrived at the hospital promptly, contact an experienced medical malpractice attorney to investigate the specifics of your case.Ultimately, if you feel that a physician’s or hospital’s negligence caused or contributed to your injury or the death of a loved one\u2014which resulted due to a delayed stroke diagnosis \u2014you should contact an experienced medical malpractice attorney at Paul | Knopf | Bigger to give you advice.Sources:https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC8411402\/https:\/\/www.ahajournals.org\/doi\/10.1161\/STROKEAHA.115.010613"},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Blog","item":"https:\/\/pkblawfirm.com\/blog\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Delayed Stroke Diagnosis – Insight from a Florida Medical Malpractice Attorney","item":"https:\/\/pkblawfirm.com\/blog\/delayed-stroke-diagnosis-insight-from-a-florida-medical-malpractice-attorney\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]