Heart disorder may complicate medications or other therapeutic procedures employed in the treatment of an original noncardiac injury or disease, and severe hemorrhage thereof. Cardiac disorder, disability, or death resulting therefrom often can
be
related legally to the original injury when it can be shown that the therapy responsible for the cardiac condition was prescribed in treatment of the original injury. Because cardiac disorders so induced quite commonly result in disability, pain,
suffering, medical expenses, reduction of life expectancy, death, or other elements of "damages" far outweighing those directly attributable to the trauma or which legal liability was originally incurred, the cardiac aspects of many such claims
frequently comprise the most significant component of subsequent legal considerations.
The therapeutic procedures most often complicated by adverse cardiac effects are (1) surgery and anesthesia, (2)intravenously administered fluids and transfusions, (3) drug therapy, (4) prescribed orthopedic devices and rehabilitative exercises,
and (5)
electroconvulsive shock therapy. Also severe hemorrhage and/or shock complicating noncardiac trauma are recognized medically as potential precipitant causes of acute heart disorder.
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