*HR1507*
Introduced Version
HOUSE
RESOLUTION No. ___
Introduced by: Garcia Wilburn
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1 A HOUSE RESOLUTION designating February 2024 as
2 American Heart Month and to raise awareness about
3 cardiovascular disease and the importance of knowing one's
4 cholesterol levels.
5 Whereas, The American Heart Association defines
6 "cholesterol" as a waxy, fat-like substance circulating in the
7 blood;
8 Whereas, The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
9 (CDC) identifies two types of cholesterol: low-density
10 lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and high-density lipoprotein
11 cholesterol (HDL-C);
12 Whereas, According to the CDC, nearly 94 million adults in
13 the United States have high cholesterol;
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1 Whereas, Heart disease is the leading cause of death in
2 Indiana, accounting for more than 14,440 deaths in 2017;
3 Whereas, Inherited risks of heart disease include familial
4 hypercholesterolemia, or FH, and elevated Lp(a), which can be
5 detected and treated early;
6 Whereas, FH is a common, life-threatening genetic disorder
7 affecting the body's ability to remove LDL cholesterol, and if
8 left untreated, leads to early heart attack and heart disease;
9 Whereas, Patients with FH or elevated cholesterol levels
10 may need treatment, including statins and lipid-lowering
11 medications;
12 Whereas, Heart disease disproportionately affects minority
13 populations: In men and women, low HDL cholesterol
14 prevalence was higher in non-Hispanic adults than in
15 non-Hispanic white, Black, and Asian adults, and in men,
16 prevalence was higher in non-Hispanic white and Asian adults
17 than in non-Hispanic Black adults;
18 Whereas, In Indiana, the heart disease death rate for Black
19 Hoosiers (age 35 and older) is 421 per 100,000 compared to
20 351 per 100,000 overall;
21 Whereas, February is designated as American Heart Month
22 by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute of the
23 National Institutes of Health to raise awareness of heart
24 disease, cholesterol, and the importance of screening and
25 treatment;
26 Whereas, The LDL-C Action Summit, a consortium of the
27 nation's leading cardiovascular stakeholder groups, seeks to
28 cut cardiovascular events in half by 2030; and
29 Whereas, The CDC's Million Hearts program is a national
30 initiative to prevent one million heart attacks and strokes
31 between 2022 and 2027: Therefore,
32 Be it resolved by the House of Representatives of the
33 General Assembly of the State of Indiana:
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1 SECTION 1. That the Indiana House of Representatives
2 designates February 2024 as American Heart Month to raise
3 public awareness of heart disease, and cholesterol-related
4 illnesses, including familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) and
5 LP(a).
6 SECTION 2. That the Indiana House of Representatives
7 supports raising awareness of heart disease, cholesterol, and
8 lipid-lowering treatments to improve the health of Indiana
9 residents.
10 SECTION 3. That the Indiana Department of Health dedicate
11 resources to addressing cardiovascular disease and improved
12 cholesterol screenings for Indiana residents.
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