Georgia 2023-2024 Regular Session

Georgia House Bill HR1503 Compare Versions

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

Old	New	Differences
1	1	24 LC 112 2451
2	2	House Resolution 1503
3	3	By: Representatives Bennett of the 94
4	4	th
5	5	, Cooper of the 45
6	6	th
7	7	, Roberts of the 52
8	8	nd
9	9	, Campbell of
10	10	the 35
11	11	th
12	12	, Romman of the 97
13	13	th
14	14	, and others
15	15	A RESOLUTION
16	16	Designating February of each year as Cholesterol Screening Awareness Month in the State
17	17	1
18	18	of Georgia in order to raise awareness about the need for cholesterol screening; and for other2
19	19	purposes.3
20	20	WHEREAS, high cholesterol, also called hypercholesterolemia, is the chronic presence of4
21	21	high levels of cholesterol in the blood that can lead to cardiovascular disease, and even5
22	22	cardiovascular events like heart attacks or strokes; and 6
23	23	WHEREAS, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that7
24	24	cardiovascular disease is arguably the most underappreciated public health crisis of our time,8
25	25	and someone in the United States has a heart attack every 40 seconds, yet about 80 percent9
26	26	are preventable; and10
27	27	WHEREAS, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), or "bad" cholesterol, is an easily11
28	28	modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular disease, more than 80 million adults have high12
29	29	LDL-C, and lower LDL-C is associated with a reduced risk of heart attack and stroke; and13
30	30	WHEREAS, heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States among racial and14
31	31	ethnic minority populations; and15
32	32	H. R. 1503
33	33	- 1 - 24 LC 112 2451
34	34	WHEREAS, cardiovascular disease accounts for more than 22,000 deaths in Georgia a year,
35	35	16
36	36	which is one in three deaths overall; and17
37	37	WHEREAS, in 2019, African Americans were 30 percent more likely to die from heart18
38	38	disease than non-Hispanic whites, and although African American adults are 30 percent more19
39	39	likely to have high blood pressure, they are less likely than non-Hispanic whites to have their20
40	40	blood pressure under control; and21
41	41	WHEREAS, African American women are nearly 50 percent more likely to have high blood22
42	42	pressure, as compared to non-Hispanic white women; and23
43	43	WHEREAS, the American Heart Association (AHA) has demonstrated that Hispanic24
44	44	Americans are at exceptionally high risk for cardiovascular disease and coronary heart25
45	45	disease, both of which can lead to a stroke or heart attack; and26
46	46	WHEREAS, the AHA indicates that cardiovascular disease disproportionately affects27
47	47	minority populations: 52.3 percent of Hispanic males and 42.7 percent of Hispanic females28
48	48	over the age of 20 are affected by cardiovascular disease and 60.1 percent of Black males and29
49	49	58.8 percent of Black females 20 years of age and older have cardiovascular disease; and30
50	50	WHEREAS, the CDC found that one in three deaths in the United States is due to heart31
51	51	disease and this results in more than $216 billion in healthcare cost; and32
52	52	WHEREAS, nearly 60 percent of middle-aged Hispanic adults have high cholesterol, yet33
53	53	only half are aware of this, according to a study published in the Journal of the American34
54	54	Medical Association; and35
55	55	H. R. 1503
56	56	- 2 - 24 LC 112 2451
57	57	WHEREAS, a study published in the American Journal of Preventative Cardiology found
58	58	36
59	59	cholesterol testing, an important preventive measure for reducing the risk of cardiovascular37
60	60	disease, declined during the COVID-19 pandemic; and38
61	61	WHEREAS, the resources needed to bend the curve in cardiovascular disease exist, yet 7139
62	62	percent of hypercholesterolemia patients at high risk of a cardiovascular event never achieve40
63	63	recommended LDL-C treatment guideline thresholds; and41
64	64	WHEREAS, the LDL-C Action Summit, a consortium of the nation's leading cardiovascular42
65	65	stakeholder groups, seeks to cut cardiovascular events in half by 2030; and43
66	66	WHEREAS, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Million Hearts program seeks44
67	67	to improve access and quality of care to reduce heart disease, stroke, and death; and45
68	68	WHEREAS, all are encouraged to know their LDL-C level; and46
69	69	WHEREAS, the United States Department of Health and Human Services Office of Minority47
70	70	Health recognizes April as National Minority Health Month; and48
71	71	WHEREAS, the Georgia Department of Health is urged to update the state's cardiovascular49
72	72	plan to accelerate quality improvements and measures to achieve improved health outcomes50
73	73	for cardiovascular disease patients and develop campaigns to increase cholesterol screening51
74	74	during the month of April; and52
75	75	WHEREAS, providers are urged to treat all cardiovascular disease patients in accordance53
76	76	with American College of Cardiology treatment guidelines.54
77	77	H. R. 1503
78	78	- 3 - 24 LC 112 2451
79	79	NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES that
80	80	55
81	81	the members of this body designate February of each year as Cholesterol Screening56
82	82	Awareness Month in order to raise awareness about the need for cholesterol screening.57
83	83	BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Clerk of the House of Representatives is authorized58
84	84	and directed to make appropriate copies of this resolution available for distribution to the59
85	85	public and the press.60
86	86	H. R. 1503
87	87	- 4 -