In the linked study (doi:10.1136/bmj.b541), Arnold and colleagues assess whether giving an information sheet to patients with acute chest pain reduces anxiety, improves health related quality of life, improves satisfaction with care, or alters subsequent symptoms or actions. Their randomised controlled trial compared verbal advice with advice plus written information sheets in 700 patients presenting to the accident and emergency department with acute chest pain, initially thought to be of cardiac origin, who were discharged after acute coronary syndrome was ruled out.1

The study found that people receiving information sheets had significantly lower scores for anxiety and depression and higher scores for mental and general health perception at 30 days. The intervention had no significant effect on satisfaction or subsequent symptoms, which although frequent were of low intensity. Importantly, the intervention did not affect lifestyle changes, information seeking, or planned actions in the event of …