Cardiac Arrest Due to Improper Dosage of Anesthetic Drugs

Anesthesia medications are extremely powerful drugs, requiring specialized knowledge and diligent care during administration and throughout a surgical procedure. Anesthesia dosing requires careful consideration of the patient’s weight, comorbidities, and history of previous tolerance or adverse reactions to anesthesia. A miscalculated dosage can cause serious or even catastrophic harm, including sudden cardiac arrest. This is a serious violation of the medical provider’s legal duty of care, constituting medical malpractice.

Preventable Mistakes in Anesthesia Dosing

Administering an overdose of anesthesia based on the patient’s size, age, or medical history is a serious error, due to the dangerous suppression of heart function. Anesthesiologists are responsible for the following:

• Reviewing the patient’s medical history, cardiac risk factors, including heart conditions, drug or alcohol useage, daily medications, and previous experiences with anesthesia
• Selecting the appropriate anesthesia type, delivery method, and dosage
• Appropriately administering the medication
• Carefully monitoring the patient’s vital signs throughout surgery
• Appropriately monitoring the patient during the postoperative period.

The surgical staff also has a legal responsibility to respond appropriately to medical emergencies, including cardiac arrest due to improper anesthesia dosage. Failure to perform according to the legal standard of care at any point in the surgical process is medical malpractice.

What Happens During a Cardiac Arrest due to Improper Dosage of Anesthetic Drugs?

Dosage or delivery errors in anesthesia administration can cause the following:

• Serious cardiac suppression
• Bradycardia (slowed heart rate)
• Rapid drop in blood pressure (hypotension)
• Respiratory failure, and
• Cardiac arrest.

When an anesthesia error causes the above medical emergency, the anesthesiologist has a legal responsibility to recognize the symptoms of the dosage error or adverse reaction and take emergency measures before cardiac arrest occurs. In the event of cardiac arrest, the medical team must apply life-saving resuscitation measures.

When a dosage error causes cardiac arrest during anesthesia, the results can be devastating to the injury victim or their surviving family members, especially when the patient doesn’t respond to resuscitation.

In rare cases, even a local anesthetic can cause systemic toxicity, a rare condition that can lead to cardiac arrest.

Proving Liability in Anesthesia Error Cases

Cardiac arrest is a severe medical condition that can result in permanent injury or death. The injury victim or their close surviving family member can recover compensation through a medical malpractice claim or medical malpractice-wrongful death claim. The claimant has the burden of evidence in the case. The evidence must demonstrate the following:

• A doctor-patient relationship was in place at the time the injury occurred
• The medical provider owed a legal duty of care to the patient, requiring them to treat the patient at the medical community’s standard of care
• They breached this duty of care through negligence
• The breach of duty directly caused the patient’s injury or death
• The injury victim or their surviving family suffered economic and non-economic damages from the injury

A successful medical malpractice claim for an anesthesia error recovers compensation for economic losses, like reimbursement of medical expenses, funeral costs (in the event of death), and compensation for pain, suffering, grief, and anguish.

How Can a Medical Malpractice Lawyer Help Me?

A successful medical malpractice claim requires careful handling, skilled investigation, and compelling evidence. Call Knapp & Roberts to talk to a medical malpractice attorney in Phoenix who can help you and your family obtain the sense of justice you deserve through financial accountability.