What is Ischemia?
Ischemia is a medical event that occurs when an organ doesn’t receive an adequate supply of oxygen. Blood is what carries oxygen throughout the body, and ischemia is caused by an interruption of blood flow.
Organs depend on constant oxygen intake to remain functional—only 3 to 4 minutes of inadequate oxygen causes irreversible damage to the heart, brain, and kidneys. In newborns, this lack of oxygen and blood flow to the brain can lead to a serious condition called hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE), which often results in lifelong disabilities.
Without emergency intervention, ischemia can be fatal with a lifelong prognosis of heart, brain, or other organ damage at best. Ischemic heart disease is the most common cause of death in the Western world, while ischemic strokes are a leading cause of lifelong disabilities. Thankfully, both of these conditions are reversible—if they’re diagnosed and treated quickly.
If you or your loved one suffered an ischemic attack while in the care of a doctor or hospital, call Hampton & King as soon as possible. Our medical professionals on staff can help answer why your injuries occurred in a free case consultation.
What Causes Ischemic Events?
Interrupted blood flow is the root cause of ischemia, usually the result of a blockage in the blood vessels. Thrombosis in the arteries or veins is the result of a blood clot forming in a narrow space, inhibiting function.
This clot can lead to an ischemic attack on its own—but in many cases, a piece of the clot will break off and travel through your blood vessels until it gets stuck and limits blood flow. The narrowing of the blood vessel (stenosis) also inhibits flow, but doctors can perform endarterectomies to correct it.
Embolisms can also form from the introduction of gas bubbles into the blood, forming an air embolism. They form from foreign objects traveling through the blood vessels, like IVC filters. Interrupted blood flow can also result from physical trauma or cardiovascular disease (which stiffens vessel walls)—this is known as non-occlusive ischemia.
How Doctors Are Responsible for Ischemic Attacks
Physicians and nurses are not the direct cause of ischemia in most cases. However, they can be the reason that ischemic heart attacks, strokes, renal ischemia, and other forms of this event end up causing lasting damage. Doctors are trained and expected to spot the signs of ischemic attacks quickly and act immediately to intervene. When they don’t, people pay the price.
In other cases, treatments can lead to a higher blood clot risk—directly contributing to an ischemic event. These are relatively rare—it’s far more likely that a doctor failed to respond properly or failed to act in order to prevent long-term injury or death.
Types of Ischemia
Ischemia happens when blood flow to a part of the body is reduced, depriving tissues of oxygen and nutrients. Here are four of the most common types:
- Myocardial Ischemia: Reduced blood flow to the heart can cause chest pain and increase the risk of a heart attack.
- Mesenteric Ischemia: When the intestines don’t get enough blood, it can cause severe abdominal pain and, in serious cases, tissue death.
- Cerebral Ischemia: Restricted blood flow to the brain can lead to a stroke or transient symptoms like weakness, vision loss, or speech difficulties.
- Peripheral Ischemia: Limited blood flow to the arms or legs, often from narrowed arteries, can cause pain, tissue damage, and in severe cases, may require surgery to save the limb.
Another more rare type of ischemia is Posterior Ischemic Optic Neuropathy (PION), in which the optic nerve at the back of the eye (posterior portion) suffers from insufficient blood flow, leading to sudden vision loss. Our attorneys can assist you with a claim for any type of ischemia.
How Our Houston Medical Malpractice Attorneys Can Help
Hampton & King is one of the premier medical malpractice law firms in Texas and New Mexico—for over 50 years, we have fought for clients who have suffered from highly complex and difficult-to-litigate cases. Our success is founded on a simple idea: the more thoroughly you prepare a case, the more likely it will end well for the client.
To that end, we are one of the only law firms in the nation to employ a physician and a Ph.D. as part of our full-time staff. Their insight and experience help ensure that your case is as rigorously prepared as possible, maximizing its chance for success.
Most attorneys in Houston don’t handle medical malpractice—the Texas legislature’s tort reform made this state one of the hardest places to hold doctors and hospitals accountable for mistakes. However, rather than run from medical malpractice, we committed our firm solely to the victims of medical negligence.
Hampton & King is one of the few law firms prepared to handle malpractice cases like yours.
Get your questions answered and learn about your options in a free case consultation with our on-staff physician. Call (713) 658-0231 or contact us online to begin fighting for your future.