Misdiagnosis of Alzheimer’s Patients

Medical malpractice takes many forms, such as the misdiagnosis of an illness. This includes a failure in some instances to properly diagnosis Alzheimer’s disease in a Tennessee patient.

Misdiagnosis of Alzheimer’s Disease

A study undertaken by researchers at the University of California, San Diego revealed that the misdiagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease occurs with some frequency and appears to have a gender-related component. The essential results of the study indicate that women are under-diagnosed for Alzheimer’s disease while their male counterparts appear to be over-diagnosed for the condition. In either situation, a person with undiagnosed Alzheimer’s and an individual incorrectly diagnosed as having that disease are not receiving appropriate medical care and treatment.

Gender-Specific Manifestation of Alzheimer’s

This particular study is one of a number of research endeavors illustrating that Alzheimer’s appears to manifest itself differently based on an individual’s gender. Historically, physicians utilized a “one-size-fits-all” approach to diagnosing Alzheimer’s, paying no mind to potential gender deviations in the way the illness manifests. This has likely led to so many instances of misdiagnosis.

If you or a loved one has not been properly diagnosed in regard to Alzheimer’s disease or some other type of dementia, the question becomes whether a doctor’s failure to diagnose was reasonable. A physician is held to a standard of care that requires a proper diagnosis for a disease or ailment within the time frame and in the manner of a similarly situated doctor. The failure to make a diagnosis in this manner can provide grounds for a medical malpractice claim. You may want to consult an attorney regarding how to file such a claim.