Many Ohio patients who are diagnosed with cardiovascular disease are given aspirin to help with their symptoms. However, some may be told that they have an aspirin allergy without seeing a specialist, which could result in an individual being taken off an effective treatment for no reason. According to one study, 34 percent of patients with gastrointestinal problems were diagnosed with hypersensitivity to aspirin. However, only 2.5 percent of patients actually had an allergy after further testing was done.
There are several reasons why a patient should not be told he or she has an allergy without seeing an allergist. First, it could disqualify an individual from using aspirin as a treatment option in the future. Second, going to an allergist is the only proper way to determine if a patient actually has an allergy. If an individual does have an allergy, the allergist and the patient can work together to create a proper treatment plan to manage symptoms.
If a patient is diagnosed with an allergy when he or she doesn’t have one, that may be an example of medical negligence. Medical malpractice may also occur if a patient is told to stop taking medication that is effective in treatment an illness without a sound basis for doing so.
Those who believe that they suffered harm because of a change in their treatment plan may want to talk to an attorney to determine the recourse that may be available. It may be possible to win compensation from the doctor who committed the error. Compensation may be available to pay for medical bills related to correcting the error or lost wages for missing work to pursue treatment of an illness.