John Ritter is best known for being the award winning star of the sitcom "Three's Company" and the star of the ABC series "8 Simple Rules ... For Dating My Teenage Daughter."
September 11, 2003, at Providence St. Joseph Medical Center in Burbank, California, John Ritter passed away at the age of 54. The cause of his death was a tear in the aorta, know as an aortic dissection. He was loved by everyone and will be greatly missed.
Moses Lebovits, a lawyer, for John Ritter's family said the doctors did everything wrong and caused his death by an improper diagnosis and substandard treatment. John was mistakenly treated for a heart attack.
Mr. Lebovits, claimed that Dr. Joseph Lee, the cardiologist failed to order the proper tests to diagnose John's condition. Dr. Lee failed to have a chest X-ray done before treating John for a heart attack.
According to a testimony a X-ray was ordered as soon as John Ritter arrived in the emergency room. For some unknow reason the X-ray was never taken. Dr. Joseph Lee arrived at the hospital after John was already diagnosed with a heart attack.
Dr. John Elefteriades, chief of cardiothoracic surgery at Yale University and Yale New Haven Hospital and a renowned expert on thoracic aortic disease said in his testimony that Dr. Joseph Lee, caused Ritter's death by providing substandard care.
"It's very difficult for me, and I'm here with a very heavy heart," said Dr. John Elefteriades. "But for one tragic decision, Mr. Ritter would have been alive. I couldn't find a way to justify the events."
If Mr. Ritter was given a chest X-ray, the tear in his aorta would have been found and been taken to surgery.
The majority of the jurors felt the cardiologist, Dr. Joseph Lee, didn't have time to order a chest X-ray that may have found the tear in the aorta. Dr. Lee and a radiologist were cleared of any negligence.
The 9-3 verdict meant there was no damage judgment against the doctors. However, eight other medical personnel and Providence St. Joseph Medical Center did make settlements with John Ritter's family totaling 14 million dollars.
- What if your doctor is prescribing the wrong
medication for you?
- What if your doctor is prescribing medicine that
interferes with other conditions and other prescriptions
you have?
- What if your doctor fails to diagnose a disease
because of lack of information?
- What if your doctor detects the problem
too late for any help to be given?
- A known fact: Many in the medical Profession
are known for sloppy note taking which can lead
to mistakes in your medical charts.
July 30, 2008, Dr. Curtis Rimmerman gave a presentation before the American Heart Association's Basic Cardiovascular Sciences Conference, in Keystone, Colorado.
Dr. Rimmerman noted that aortic dissections is an often unpredictable event with high morbidity and mortality rates.
There is no screening program in place to identify patients at risk for aortic dissection. The only exception are those patients with Marfan syndrome and those with a family history of aortic dissection.
"Should those patients predisposed to aortic dissection be reliably identified, this would permit heightened attention to lifestyle modification, blood pressure control and the preemptive administration of certain medications such as beta blockers," Rimmerman said.
"Additionally, in those patients identified as high-risk, this would undoubtedly involve focused efforts at aortic imaging," he said.
As a result of what I am telling you right now, you may start to feel a bit uncomfortable. You try to take care of yourself, don't you?
Good, so you're probably wondering what you can do
about this.
FIRST
Health experts recommend that you periodically check your medical records. This is especially critical if you have a chronic condition. Under the Federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act or HIPAA you have a right to a copy of your medical records. So check them often.
SECOND
- You need a detailed list of your medical history.
- You need a list of all the doctors and hospitals
you have been to along with all the treatments
you received.
- You need a list of medicines and prescription
drugs that you are taking.
Obviously you can see how important having all this information will be. Now I would like to help you collect and save your medical history. And it isn't going to cost you a cent. It's FREE.
I would like to give you a FREE piece of software that allows you to create a personalized family health history. The information you enter into the program is used to create a printable visual report. The printout looks like a family tree with their medical history.
The software is very easy to use. No skill or training required.
Why You Need A Copy Of Your Own
Personal Family Health History.
- Your Family Health Tree Saves You Needless Worry.
- You can print a graphic representation of your family
medical history and a text report. Take the print out
with you when you visit your doctor.
- A valuable tool for discussion, risk assessment
and medical advice.
- Give a copy of Your Family Health Tree to your children
and their children. Protects your children - no more guess
work about their inherited family medical history.
- Your children can assess their risk for certain
diseases and create a personalized disease
prevention plan.
- Your doctor will know all the medicines you are taking
at a glance. No more forgetting to tell him what prescription you just took.
- Prevents costly and deadly errors.
- You'll never have to take chances with forgetting to tell
your children the medical history of Grandfather and Aunt Sue.
- Never again will you have to worry about receiving
the wrong mixture of medications.
- Saves you needless worry.
- You'll never have to take chances with your health
again. Your doctor will have the total picture.
Get Your Copy Now. You can see what I'm saying is true...
Enter your first name and your primary email address for your
FREE Family Medical History Tree software.
Your guarantee of security and peace of mind.
NOTE: We will not rent, trade or release your information to any third party for any reason - ever. We respect your email privacy.
To Your Happiness and Health,
Lani Ann Beale
www.mens-womens-health.com
