Negligent Post-Heart Attack Care and Monitoring

When a patient survives a heart attack, the critical phase of care does not end with emergency intervention or hospitalization. In fact, the period immediately following a cardiac event is often when careful medical observation and intervention are most essential. Negligent post-heart attack care and monitoring can lead to devastating consequences, including reinfarction, arrhythmia, heart failure, or sudden death. Physicians and hospital staff are responsible for monitoring patients for complications and ensuring that follow-up care is coordinated and provided in a timely manner. When they fail to do so, and a patient suffers further harm, it may constitute medical malpractice. If you or a loved one were injured by negligent post-heart attack care and monitoring, you have the right to seek compensation, and you should talk to a lawyer promptly. At DeFrancisco & Falgiatano Personal Injury Lawyers, our assertive Syracuse medical malpractice attorneys understand the intricacies of cardiology-related malpractice, and if we represent you, we will fight tirelessly on your behalf. We assist victims of medical negligence in Syracuse, Rochester, and communities throughout Upstate New York.

After a myocardial infarction, patients face numerous medical risks that require vigilance and expert management. Negligent post-heart attack care and monitoring often arise when healthcare providers fail to appropriately observe or respond to signs of ongoing cardiac instability or complications during hospitalization or in the immediate discharge period. In a hospital setting, this may involve a failure to monitor vital signs and telemetry for dangerous arrhythmias, missed recognition of heart failure symptoms such as shortness of breath or edema, or delays in responding to changes in a patient’s condition.

Outside the hospital, negligent post-heart attack care and monitoring may include discharging a patient too soon, failing to schedule necessary follow-up appointments with cardiologists, or neglecting to educate the patient about warning signs that should prompt immediate medical attention. Some patients may deteriorate rapidly within days of a heart attack due to inadequate care coordination, especially if they have coexisting conditions like diabetes, kidney disease, or a history of arrhythmia. Improper communication between providers, such as between hospitalists and primary care physicians, can also lead to medication duplications, omissions, or a breakdown in continuity of care. In each of these scenarios, timely recognition and intervention could have prevented worsening symptoms or death.

Usually, a plaintiff pursuing medical malpractice claims based on negligent post-heart attack care and monitoring will proceed on a theory of negligence. In New York, negligence is made up of four parts, and a plaintiff must prove each part to prevail. The first part, duty, arises from the provider-patient relationship and includes an obligation to monitor the patient’s recovery from a heart attack in accordance with accepted medical practices. This includes continuous cardiac monitoring, interpretation of lab and imaging results, medication management, and coordination of discharge and follow-up care.

The second part, breach, occurs when the defendant fails to meet this standard. For example, if a patient displays signs of reinfarction or arrhythmia on telemetry and those findings are overlooked or not acted upon, or if a necessary medication is not prescribed or is administered improperly, the provider may have breached their duty. Similarly, if a patient is discharged with an abnormal ejection fraction and no follow-up plan in place, or if symptoms of heart failure are dismissed as anxiety, the provider’s failure to act could support a malpractice claim.

Finally, the plaintiff must prove causation and damages, which means they have to demonstrate that the breach directly resulted in additional harm. In many post-heart attack malpractice cases, the challenge lies in distinguishing the provider’s negligence from the underlying risks of cardiac disease. To address this, expert medical testimony is almost always necessary. Qualified physicians must review the records, determine what care should have been provided, and explain how the failure to provide that care contributed to the adverse outcome.

Damages recoverable in a medical malpractice case can include past and future medical bills, loss of income, and out-of-pocket expenses. Non-economic damages such as pain and suffering, loss of enjoyment of life, and the emotional trauma experienced by loved ones may also be compensable.

Negligent post-heart attack care and monitoring is not just a lapse in judgment; it is a failure to meet basic medical obligations that can change or end lives, and the providers who cause such harm should be held accountable. If you or someone you love has suffered due to substandard care following a heart attack, you should contact an attorney to assess your options. The trusted Syracuse medical malpractice attorneys of DeFrancisco & Falgiatano Personal Injury Lawyers have decades of experience handling complex medical malpractice claims, and if we represent you, we will work tirelessly to secure justice on your behalf. We represent clients in Syracuse, Rochester, and across Upstate New York. To arrange a free and confidential consultation, call us at 833-200-2000 or contact us online.