Common Causes of Stroke Misdiagnosis
Like other forms of misdiagnosis, there are a variety of factors that can lead to misdiagnosis of a stroke in a doctor’s office or hospital. However, with regard to strokes, in particular, three of the most common factors are:
1. Failure to Diagnose Risk Factors
There are several known risk factors that can increase a person’s chances of suffering a stroke. This is true for ischemic and hemorrhagic strokes as well as transient ischemic attacks (TIAs). When a patient presents at a medical facility with symptoms of a possible stroke, the treating physician should take the patient’s risk factors into consideration in order to determine whether to rule out stroke as a possible diagnosis. Some of the primary risk factors for stroke include:
- Alcohol and tobacco use
- Atrial fibrillation
- Diabetes
- Family history of stroke
- High blood pressure
- High cholesterol
- Heart disease
- Obesity
2. Misinterpretation of Patient Stroke Symptoms
The symptoms of a stroke are similar to those of various other medical conditions, and this is often a factor in stroke misdiagnoses. Individuals who present the following symptoms should be considered as possible stroke patients unless and until an alternate diagnosis is confirmed:
- Confusion
- Difficulty speaking
- Difficulty swallowing
- Fatigue
- Headache
- Loss of balance and coordination
- Loss of fine motor control
- Memory loss
- Mood swings
- Sensory impairments (changes in eyesight, hearing, taste, touch or smell)
3. Failure to Order or Properly Interpret Scans
A third factor in many stroke misdiagnoses is a failure to order or properly interpret necessary scans. Doctors who do not consider patients’ risk factors or who fail to properly interpret patients’ symptoms may not order necessary imaging, while those who suspect a condition other than stroke may overlook evidence of stroke in patients’ scans. Other radiological errors can lead to misdiagnoses and failures to diagnose as well.
