I doubt whether many patients having an MI have capacity - especially after
IV opiates.
We use a standardised proforma which includes incidences of complications
which can be ticked as the physician explains them to the patient - this
forms part of the clinical record.
Personally I feel it is a matter for the judgement of the treating
physician how much information the patient can assimilate. The
catecholamine point is a good one - the terror of "bleeding in my brain"
cannot be beneficial, especially if it means consent for beneficial
thrombolysis is witheld.
Marten C. Howes MRCP(UK)
Specialist Registrar
Accident and Emergency Medicine
Royal Preston Hospital
Preston, Lancashire.
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