Chest pain when is it dangerous ?

Question

My mother complained that she had a pain in her chest. She lacked energy for every day tasks and had trouble breathing. She rather foolishly I believe told the doctors she visited that indestion tablets relieved the pain. Only to happy to save money they ordered no tests until it was too late to be of use to her. As she laid in the coroners slab one fantastically sunny and warm day, after several weeks of visiting the doctor's surgery, she must have got real comfort from the fact that her ECG was booked for the following day. She was presenting her GP's with heart failure problems, furthermore she was a diabetic which I believe put her in a high risk group. I believe my mother died because her GP's were worried about other things like the colour of the chairs in their surgery, the state of their new blinds, maybe the delivery date of their new sports car. Does any one see any evidence that I am wrong in my conclusion?

Answer 1

I think you've got serious grounds for complaint. Any elderly person complaining of chest pain coupled with S.O.B and excessive tiredness should be investigated. Even if the pain had resolved with antacids the S.O.B and tiredness should have rung some alarm bells in your mothers G.P, particularly as she was a diabetic. Yet another case I'm afraid of incompetence in the medical profession.

Answer 2

i completely agree with u and to some extent i don't agree with what our other friends say about this. Doctors are being trained for five years step by step to understand what is going wrong with the patient which is known as diagnosis. even with any visible or presentable symptoms of the patients there are some certain signs which could be elicited by the physicians because of the skill they are taught during their course. Heart failure problem (Congestive cardiac failure) ought to be suspected by your GP on the basis of some signs and symptoms like respiratory distress, edema of dependent parts, tender enlargement of the liver etc which probably he ignored. even at the earliest part of the disease there ought to be a sign known as hepato-jugular reflex (i.e. pressing on the liver region will cause engorgement of the jugular veins of the neck) could be a sure shot for the diagnosis when nothing was available either in ecg or echo. So what i think is it is an ignorance for which u could claim compensation according to CPA. But nevertheless no compensation would be so great to replace the beautiful creation of God whom we all know as Mother. I am sorry, my friend and hope u recover soon from ur bereavement.

Answer 3

It is easy for us to critisise with hindsite. We all now know that she needed the ECG when she first visited the Doctor......It is hard for us to be sure exactly what she told the Doctor none of us were there He Perhaps should have asked more pertinent questions. I'm not too sure why she had to book for an ECG as it is a simple test that can be done in most GP surgerys in a matter of minutes. Have you asked to see the Practice Manager to raise your concerns?
I am sorry for your loss and hope that you find some answers that ease your pain.

Answer 4

First i am so sorry about your mom that must have been horrible for you. ANY chest pain should be taken seriously! Period. Any doctor should know this too. Women have different types of pain than men do and diabetics may have NO pain associated with their heart attacks! So even though she may have told the DR that she took some tablets for indigestion and it helped they should have done some basic tests to support her theory. I agree with you 100 percent!

Answer 5

your very lucky if your Dr has a great understanding of heart desease ,mine does,he has taken great care of me since my heart attack 6 years ago ,if I have pain the first thing he does is give me an ECG at the surgery,I have been taken straight from there to hospital,if your mother was convinced it was indigestion then she may have talked the Dr into it also ,as they say we know our own bodies better than anyone,couldn`t you ask the Dr for some tests on your mother as you were not satisfied that it was indigestion,perhaps your mother was a little scared of going to hospital as are lot of people,I am so sorry about your mother and hope that you get the answers you want,

Answer 6

Chest discomfort, non-ischemic, happens in lots of circumstances of PSVT in the process episodes. indicators: the quickly coronary heart fee has a tendency to start and end unexpectedly and might final from a couple of minutes to many hours. that's totally often experienced as an uncomfortable palpitation. it rather is frequently linked with different indicators, which includes weak point, easy-headedness, shortness of breath, and chest discomfort. frequently, the midsection is otherwise popular. while you're conversing of chest discomfort no longer in the process SVT episode, it want no longer be of cardiac beginning. yet, with the historic previous of SVT, an assessment of chest discomfort is needed.

Answer 7

Firstly, very sad to hear of your loss.
But, have you done any research into the side effects of indigestion tablets or the effects indigestion has on your body? The long term prognosis of having diabetes/ symptoms? Or contra-indications with diabeties/insulin etc. Maybe your Mother described some of these and therefore lead the doctor to an incorrect conclusion.
I have to say that any Doctor is only as good as the information presented to him/her by their patient. They are not mind readers and can not be expected to randomly guess symptoms or causes.
I would recommend an appointment with the doctor concerned and discuss it with him - the rest of us can only guess.

Answer 8

Why would you expect a doctor to order tests when the patient didn't indicate anything was wrong. You are telling us she complained of indigestion and stated antacids were taking care of the problem. Kind of like if a patient says I had a headache but took aspirin and am now fine the doctor wouldn't order an xray of the head or whatever. I think you are just angry and are looking for someone to blame here.

Answer 9

thats so sad, some doctors do not give you the time of day, only to happy to give the most immediate relief. what a awful shame, i am so sorry for your lost and the great pain you must feel. maybe it would help for you to pass a note on to the doctor and express your feelings, so next time he has a patient come in with the same symtoms he could take a few more minutes and come to a better conclusion.

Answer 10

doctors only go on what the patient tell them , unless they are visible symptons, you know yourself she did not tell the full story , having said that the fact she complained of a chest pain it should have been taken more seriously, and the fact she was diabetic should have been taken in to consideration also . i dont think she died because of the reasons you give, there was partial neglect on both side's. it is very important that when someone is attending their doctor they give a full account of their problems, or a family member go with them . you are angry and upset at this time and for that i sympathise with you .