Arrythmia

Medical Malpractice with Baltimore Arrythmia Lawyer Mark Kopec

The human heart is an engineering marvel, a muscle pump that must maintain a precise rhythmic beat to sustain life. When this rhythm falters, the condition is known as an arrhythmia and can involve medical malpractice. While some arrhythmias are benign, others are threatening to life. Because the diagnosis and treatment of heart rhythm disorders are highly technical, there is a significant margin for error. When medical providers fail to adhere to the standard of care, the results are often severe. You may need Baltimore arrythmia lawyer Mark Kopec at the Kopec Law Firm.

The Anatomy of Heart Rhythm

To understand how medical errors occur, one must first understand the heart’s electrical system. The heart consists of four chambers: the two upper atria and the two lower ventricles.

The “spark” that starts a beat begins in the heart’s Sinoatrial (SA) node, located in the right atrium. This is the heart’s natural pacemaker. The electrical signal travels through the atria (causing them to contract) to the Atrioventricular (AV) node, which acts as a gatekeeper, slowing the signal down just enough to let the ventricles fill with blood. Finally, the signal travels through the Purkinje fibers in the ventricles, causing them to pump blood to the lungs and the rest of the body.

Common Types of Arrhythmia

1. Atrial Fibrillation (AFib)

What it is: A rapid, irregular “quivering” of the atria. Instead of a strong contraction, the atria fail to pump blood effectively into the ventricles.

• Risk Factors/Causes: Hypertension (high blood pressure), sleep apnea, obesity, heart valve disease, and advanced age.
• Doctors Who Diagnosis: Diagnosed by Cardiologists or Electrophysiologists. Tests include an Electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG), Holter monitors (EKGs that can be worn), and echocardiograms.
• Treatment: Treated by Electrophysiologists. Treatments include blood thinners (anticoagulants), beta-blockers, cardioversion (electrical shock), or catheter ablation.

Malpractice in Diagnosis & Treatment: Malpractice often occurs when a doctor misdiagnoses or fails to recognize AFib on an EKG or ignores symptoms like palpitations. Because blood pools in the atria during AFib, it can clot. If a doctor fails to prescribe necessary anticoagulants, the patient may suffer an embolic stroke. Conversely, giving too much blood thinners without monitoring can lead to fatal internal bleeding. Baltimore arrythmia lawyer Mark Kopec will advise you on the diagnosis and treatment you received.

2. Bradycardia

What it is: A heart rate that is too slow (usually under 60 beats per minute).

• Risk Factors/Causes: Aging, damage from a heart attack, hypothyroidism, or a side effect of certain medications (like beta-blockers).
• Diagnosis: Diagnosed by Cardiologists. Tests include EKGs and stress tests.
• Treatment: Treated by Cardiac Surgeons or Electrophysiologists, primarily through the surgical implantation of a permanent pacemaker.

Malpractice in Diagnosis & Treatment: Negligence frequently involves medication errors. If a doctor prescribes a heart-slowing medication to a patient who already has a borderline low heart rate, it can trigger cardiac arrest. Additionally, surgical errors during pacemaker implantation—such as puncturing a lung (pneumothorax) or failing to properly secure the leads— can warrant a malpractice case if they deviate from standard surgical protocols and lead to permanent physical injury.

3. Ventricular Tachycardia (V-Tach) and Fibrillation (V-Fib)

What it is: Rapid, life-threatening rhythms originating in the ventricles. V-Fib is a total lack of organized electrical activity; the heart stops pumping entirely (sudden cardiac arrest).

• Risk Factors/Causes: Previous heart attacks, coronary artery disease, electrolyte imbalances (potassium/magnesium), or “Long QT Syndrome.”
• Diagnosis: Emergency medicine physicians or Cardiologists using EKGs and blood chemistry panels.
• Treatment: Emergency defibrillation, anti-arrhythmic drugs (like Amiodarone), and the implantation of an ICD (Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator).

Malpractice in Diagnosis & Treatment: Malpractice in this context is often a matter of failure to rescue. If a hospitalized patient shows “warning” arrhythmias on a telemetry monitor and the nursing staff or monitoring technicians fail to alert a physician, the patient may progress to fatal V-Fib. Mismanaging electrolytes in a surgical setting can also “cause” these arrhythmias, leading to avoidable death.

How Medical Malpractice Causes Arrhythmia – Baltimore Arrythmia Lawyer

Medical professionals can actually induce arrhythmias through negligence. Common scenarios include:

1. Medication Errors: Many non-cardiac drugs (certain antibiotics, antipsychotics, and antihistamines) can cause “QT prolongation,” a delay in the heart’s electrical recharging phase. If a doctor prescribes these without checking the person’s history or current EKG, it can trigger a fatal arrhythmia known as Torsades de Pointes.
2. Surgical Mistakes: During thoracic or cardiac surgery, physical trauma to the SA node or AV node can permanently disrupt the heart’s rhythm, necessitating a lifelong pacemaker.
3. Anesthesia Malpractice: Improper administration of anesthesia or failure to maintain oxygen levels during surgery can stress the heart muscle, leading to intraoperative arrhythmias and cardiac arrest.

Risks and Injuries from Negligent Treatment

Even when an arrhythmia is correctly identified, the treatment itself carries risks that must be managed with extreme care.

• Ablation Injuries: During a catheter ablation, a doctor inserts a wire into the heart to “burn” the tissue causing the bad rhythm. If the doctor is negligent, they may burn too deeply, causing an Atrio-esophageal fistula (a hole between the heart and esophagus), which is usually fatal.
• Perforation and Tamponade: During the placement of leads for a pacemaker or ICD, the heart wall can be punctured. This leads to cardiac tamponade, where blood fills the sac around the heart, preventing it from beating. Failure to recognize and drain this fluid immediately is a classic form of surgical malpractice.
• Infection: Failure to maintain a sterile field during the implantation of cardiac devices can lead to endocarditis (infection of the heart lining), often requiring multiple surgeries and resulting in permanent heart damage.

Baltimore arrythmia lawyer Mark Kopec will assess the injury you received from arrythmia treatment.

Summary of Potential Injuries

• Ischemic Stroke: Leading to permanent paralysis or cognitive loss.
• Hypoxic Brain Injury: From long cardiac arrest where the brain is deprived of oxygen.
• Organ Failure: Chronic untreated arrhythmia can lead to congestive heart failure.
• Sudden Cardiac Death: The ultimate consequence of unmanaged or mismanaged electrical instability.

Next Step: Call Baltimore Arrythmia Lawyer Mark Kopec

Medical malpractice cases involving arrhythmias are complex because they require a deep dive into “rhythm strips” and EKG interpretations. To prevail, a plaintiff must prove that a relationship existed between a doctor and the patient, the doctor breached the “standard of care” (what a reasonably competent doctor would have done), and this breach directly caused the injury.

If you suspect that a stroke, cardiac arrest, or surgical complication was the result of a mismanaged heart rhythm, it is essential to have the medical records read by a board-certified cardiologist or electrophysiologist.

If you have any concerns or questions about arrythmia medical malpractice, then visit the Kopec Law Firm free consultation page or video. Then contact us at 800-604-0704 to speak directly with Attorney Mark Kopec. He is a top-rated Baltimore medical malpractice lawyer. The Kopec Law Firm is in Baltimore and pursues cases throughout Maryland and Washington, D.C.