Real-Life Decision Making
Earl, an elderly man, hobbles into the emergency room at the hospital.
He is leaning on his wife and clutching his chest. His face is pale, and sweat
is dripping from his brow. "My heart feels a bit odd," he says to the receptionist.
She immediately sends for you, the cardiologist.
You examine Earl and see signs obvious signs of heart problems.
You stabilize him, but you are then called away to examine another patient.
When you return, you find Earl looking remarkably better.
"He's such a hypochondriac," his wife says to you. "We just had hot
peppers for lunch, and I think it upset him. I just gave him a few pills to
soothe his stomach, and now he's fine. If you don't mind, I'd
like to take him home now."
"I'm fine now, doc," Earl says. "I feel 100 percent. I should listen
to my wife, shouldn't I? I'd really like to get out of here now."
Earl does look better, but you haven't run any tests on his heart.
What do you do?