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