What condition should be suspected in a 72-year-old man found on a golf course with drooling, bloody lip, and burns on his feet?

The symptoms described in the scenario—drooling, a bloody lip, and burns on the feet—strongly suggest a lightning strike.

When a person is struck by lightning, it can cause both external and internal injuries. External burns can occur at the point of contact, and these injuries are often seen on areas like the feet if the individual was standing on the ground when struck. The drooling and bloody lip may indicate other effects of the strike such as altered consciousness or trauma caused by the force of the electrical discharge. Additionally, a lightning strike can disrupt bodily functions and lead to neurological effects, which may explain the drooling.

In differentiating this condition from the other options, a stroke typically presents with sudden neurological deficits but wouldn't generally cause burns or drooling in a similar context. Electrical shock is also a possibility, but it usually causes distinct burns at contact points without the broader symptoms of drooling and bleeding from the mouth. Cardiac arrest may result from many conditions but does not typically manifest with the symptoms of burns or mouth injuries. Therefore, the combination of symptoms provides a strong case for a lightning strike being the most accurate diagnosis in this situation.