Moral Judgment in Evaluating Disease: Some Pictures for Discussion

Heart Attack

Heart Attack, 2005, Sandow Birk, U.S.A. b.1962, Chine collé etching, from the series Ten Leading Causes of Death in America, Purchased through the Madeline Earle Stanton Fund 2008

This 55 year old man, was brought into the ED by ambulance after he fell during a restaurant dinner. He was unconscious and without a pulse when the ambulance arrived 10 minutes after the incident. According to his wife, the patient complained of acute chest pain and profuse sweating before falling at dinner. He has hypercholesterolemia and a family history of coronary disease. For the past 6 months, he has been exercising 20 minutes a day and switched to diet soda.

Sandow Birk is an award winning American visual artist whose work seeks to capture contemporary American culture. This print is from his recent series titled Ten Leading Causes of Death in America.