Georgia 2023-2024 Regular Session

Georgia House Bill HR1476 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	24 LC 112 2441
2	2	House Resolution 1476
3	3	By: Representatives Bennett of the 94
4	4	th
5	5	, Carter of the 93
6	6	rd
7	7	, Lewis-Ward of the 115
8	8	th
9	9	,
10	10	Schofield of the 63
11	11	rd
12	12	, and Barnes of the 86
13	13	th
14	14
15	15	A RESOLUTION
16	16	Recognizing April 2024 as Minority Health Month to encourage cholesterol screening; and
17	17	1
18	18	for other purposes.2
19	19	WHEREAS, high cholesterol, also called hypercholesterolemia, is the chronic presence of3
20	20	high levels of cholesterol in the blood that can lead to cardiovascular disease, and even4
21	21	cardiovascular events like heart attacks or strokes; and 5
22	22	WHEREAS, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that6
23	23	cardiovascular disease is arguably the most underappreciated public health crisis of our time,7
24	24	and someone in the United States has a heart attack every 40 seconds, yet about 80 percent8
25	25	are preventable; and9
26	26	WHEREAS, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), or "bad" cholesterol, is an easily10
27	27	modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular disease, more than 80 million adults have high11
28	28	LDL-C, and lower LDL-C is associated with a reduced risk of heart attack and stroke; and12
29	29	WHEREAS, heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States among racial and13
30	30	ethnic minority populations; and14
31	31	H. R. 1476
32	32	- 1 - 24 LC 112 2441
33	33	WHEREAS, cardiovascular disease accounts for more than 22,000 deaths in Georgia a year,
34	34	15
35	35	which is one in three deaths overall; and16
36	36	WHEREAS, in 2019, African Americans were 30 percent more likely to die from heart17
37	37	disease than non-Hispanic whites, and although African American adults are 30 percent more18
38	38	likely to have high blood pressure, they are less likely than non-Hispanic whites to have their19
39	39	blood pressure under control; and20
40	40	WHEREAS, African American women are nearly 50 percent more likely to have high blood21
41	41	pressure, as compared to non-Hispanic white women; and22
42	42	WHEREAS, the American Heart Association (AHA) has demonstrated that Hispanic23
43	43	Americans are at exceptionally high risk for cardiovascular disease and coronary heart24
44	44	disease, both of which can lead to a stroke or heart attack; and25
45	45	WHEREAS, the AHA indicates that cardiovascular disease disproportionately affects26
46	46	minority populations: 52.3 percent of Hispanic males and 42.7 percent of Hispanic females27
47	47	over the age of 20 are affected by cardiovascular disease and 60.1 percent of Black males and28
48	48	58.8 percent of Black females 20 years of age and older have cardiovascular disease; and29
49	49	WHEREAS, the CDC found that one in three deaths in the United States is due to heart30
50	50	disease and this results in more than $216 billion in healthcare cost; and31
51	51	WHEREAS, nearly 60 percent of middle-aged Hispanic adults have high cholesterol, yet32
52	52	only half are aware of this, according to a study published in the Journal of the American33
53	53	Medical Association; and34
54	54	H. R. 1476
55	55	- 2 - 24 LC 112 2441
56	56	WHEREAS, a study published in the American Journal of Preventative Cardiology found
57	57	35
58	58	cholesterol testing, an important preventive measure for reducing the risk of cardiovascular36
59	59	disease, declined during the COVID-19 pandemic; and37
60	60	WHEREAS, the resources needed to bend the curve in cardiovascular disease exist, yet 7138
61	61	percent of hypercholesterolemia patients at high risk of a cardiovascular event never achieve39
62	62	recommended LDL-C treatment guideline thresholds; and40
63	63	WHEREAS, the LDL-C Action Summit, a consortium of the nation's leading cardiovascular41
64	64	stakeholder groups, seeks to cut cardiovascular events in half by 2030; and42
65	65	WHEREAS, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Million Hearts program seeks43
66	66	to improve access and quality of care to reduce heart disease, stroke, and death; and44
67	67	WHEREAS, all are encouraged to know their LDL-C level; and45
68	68	WHEREAS, the United States Department of Health and Human Services Office of Minority46
69	69	Health recognizes April as National Minority Health Month; and47
70	70	WHEREAS, the Georgia Department of Health is urged to update the state's cardiovascular48
71	71	plan to accelerate quality improvements and measures to achieve improved health outcomes49
72	72	for cardiovascular disease patients and develop campaigns to increase cholesterol screening50
73	73	during the month of April; and51
74	74	WHEREAS, providers are urged to treat all cardiovascular disease patients in accordance52
75	75	with American College of Cardiology treatment guidelines.53
76	76	H. R. 1476
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78	78	NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES that
79	79	54
80	80	the members of this body recognize April 2024 as Minority Health Month to encourage55
81	81	cholesterol screening.56
82	82	BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Clerk of the House of Representatives is authorized57
83	83	and directed to make appropriate copies of this resolution available for distribution to the58
84	84	public and the press.59
85	85	H. R. 1476
86	86	- 4 -