April 5, 2021
Receiving a medical diagnosis can change your life. Most of us listen to what our doctors order us to do in order to stay healthy. However, some doctors in Illinois and throughout the country have started to misdiagnose healthy patients as having noncompaction cardiomyopathy.
What is noncompaction cardiomyopathy?
Noncompaction cardiomyopathy is a rare congenital disease that impacts the way in which the heart functions. It causes the walls of the heart to become thinner and less compact. It can lead to sudden cardiac death, thromboembolism and arrhythmias. Patients who are diagnosed with this condition are instructed by their medical professionals to stop intense physical exercise.
Exercise-induced trabeculae growth
Athletes that undergo intense physical training on a regular basis will see many changes in their body. These physiological changes can trigger various changes in the heart itself. During their body’s adaptation to intense training, the amount of trabeculae inside of the heart increases. This process is termed hypertrabeculation. When this happens in athletes, it’s completely safe for the heart.
When athletes undergo a change in their heart, some doctors are misdiagnosing their condition. These intense athletes are being diagnosed with noncompaction cardiomyopathy. In response, their doctors are recommending giving up physical exercise and warning patients that it may cause sudden cardiac arrest. This misdiagnosis can alter their entire life and financial well-being.
Being wrongfully diagnosed is a common form of medical malpractice. Unfortunately, athletes are being diagnosed with noncompaction cardiomyopathy when they actually are experiencing hypertrabeculation. If you have been harmed by a misdiagnosis similar to this one, you might want to meet with an attorney to discuss your situation.
