What are the most common misdiagnosed medical conditions?

On Behalf of | Apr 26, 2023 | Medical Malpractice

People in the Fargo area go to the doctor to either treat a current illness or injury or to try and prevent them from occurring. The goal of the visits is to either become healthy or remain healthy. When people go to the hospital or clinic, they usually start by discussing the symptoms they are experiencing with the doctor. Based on the description of the symptoms, doctors then try to determine what exactly is wrong with people.

After discussing the symptoms and running various tests, doctors then try to diagnose the situation. This will help them determine the best way to treat the ailment. However, sometimes, doctors get it wrong. This is referred to as a misdiagnosis.

A study from 2019 looked into which types of medical conditions are most likely misdiagnosed. The study found that three main types of medical conditions, referred to as the Big Three, were most commonly misdiagnosed.

Common misdiagnosed medical conditions

The most commonly misdiagnosed medical condition that resulted in serious health complications is cancer. The study found that cancer misdiagnoses made up 38% of all medical misdiagnoses resulting in serious harm. The most common type of misdiagnosed cancer is lung cancer.

The next most commonly misdiagnosed medical condition is vascular diseases. These misdiagnoses account for 23% of all medical misdiagnoses, resulting in serious harm. The most commonly misdiagnosed vascular disease is strokes.

The third most misdiagnosed medical condition is infections. These misdiagnoses account for 13% of all medical misdiagnoses, resulting in serious harm to patients. The most commonly misdiagnosed infection is sepsis.

These misdiagnoses can have detrimental consequences for the patients in North Dakota. It is important that many of these medical conditions are diagnosed properly and treated early to ensure the best results. If they are not, it could be medical malpractice depending on the circumstances. Medical malpractice claims are much more complicated than people realize. Experienced attorneys understand these complications and may be a useful resource.

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