Sammanfattning
Diagnostic errors in 51 patients with myocardial infarction handled by the Swedish Health and Social Care Inspectorate were analyzed. In more than half of the cases, the diagnostic errors occurred in health-care outside of hospitals. Diagnostic errors were more common when patients presented atypical symptoms, but atypical symptoms were equally common in male and female patients. Insufficient initial investigation, including lack of ECG registration, preceded a majority of the diagnostic errors. Wider indications for ECG and measurement of troponins in combination with increased awareness of atypical symptoms could possibly be remedies.