HLS 12RS-1548 ENGROSSED
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Regular Session, 2012
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTI ON NO. 78
BY REPRESENTATIVE SMITH
HEALTH: Creates a study committee to study the detection and prevention of heart disease
in student athletes
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTI ON1
To create a study committee to study and make recommendations with respect to student2
athletes and the detection and prevention of heart disease.3
WHEREAS, sudden cardiac arrest is the most common cause of death in the United4
States, accounting for an estimated three hundred fifty thousand deaths annually or one5
thousand deaths a day, and it is the leading cause of death in young athletes; and6
WHEREAS, sudden cardiac arrest happens to outwardly healthy people with no7
known heart problems such as high school, college, and professional athletes and thousands8
of children; and9
WHEREAS, sudden cardiac arrest is associated with vigorous exercise which can be10
seen in many of the high school, college, and professional sports in which young athletes11
participate; and12
WHEREAS, some young athletes are often not diagnosed because they may be13
outstanding competitors and otherwise appear healthy; and14
WHEREAS, many of the afflicted student athletes had hidden, underlying,15
undiagnosed heart conditions that might have been detected with proper screening; and16
WHEREAS, when a student athlete suffers cardiac arrest, his heart abruptly stops17
pumping blood, typically in response to unexpected, irregular, chaotic heart rhythms, which18
can be deadly within minutes if not immediately treated; and19
WHEREAS, in Louisiana alone there have been numerous student athlete deaths and20
every life lost is one too many; and 21 HLS 12RS-1548 ENGROSSED
HCR NO. 78
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WHEREAS, a young person at the peak of physical prowess, dying without any1
warning is a shocking, tragic, and potentially preventable death; and2
WHEREAS, it is obvious that more needs to be done to prevent sudden cardiac arrest3
among young athletes; and4
WHEREAS, uniform screening methods are needed for students and young people5
participating in athletics to detect heart defects; and6
WHEREAS, many of these tragic deaths could be prevented if we employ early7
detection methods; such as, the Electrocardiogram (EKG) and Echocardiogram (heart8
ultrasound); and9
WHEREAS, according to the American Heart Association, EKGs are noninvasive,10
painless, inexpensive tests that use electrodes attached to the chest to record the heart's11
electrical activity; and 12
WHEREAS, EKGs are a standard tool that reads the heart's electrical activity to find13
abnormal rhythms and are designed to identify conditions by determining blood flow and14
whether areas of the heart are abnormally thick; and 15
WHEREAS, in addition to the use of early detection testing methods, the American16
Heart Association recommends a twelve-step history screening process to help prevent17
sudden cardiac arrest in youth athletes; and18
WHEREAS, the screening includes twelve questions about personal and family19
medical history and a physical examination to uncover aspects of an athlete's health that20
could signal a cardiovascular problem; and21
WHEREAS, heart screening will attempt to identify some preexisting heart22
conditions that could potentially increase a student's risk of a cardiac event or sudden cardiac23
death with vigorous physical activity; and24
WHEREAS, the complete heart screening process typically includes the following:25
(1) a focused medical history questionnaire; (2) blood pressure measurements; (3) an EKG;26
(4) a physician review and examination; and (5) a limited echocardiogram; and27
WHEREAS, in certain circumstances after an EKG reading indicates that there are28
potential heart-related problems the student athlete would be required to take follow up tests;29
and30 HLS 12RS-1548 ENGROSSED
HCR NO. 78
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WHEREAS, the combination of history screening and the early detection tests can1
increase the probability of preventing sudden cardiac arrests in young athletes.2
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby3
create a study committee, composed of members as hereinafter provided, to study and make4
recommendations with respect to the detection and prevention of cardiac arrest in young5
athletes.6
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the study committee created herein shall be7
composed of seven members as follows:8
(1) A member of the Senate Committee on Health and Welfare appointed by the9
chairman of such committee.10
(2) A member of the House Committee on Health and Welfare appointed by the11
chairman of such committee.12
(3) A member of the Louisiana High School Athletics Association appointed by the13
executive director of such association. 14
(4) A cardiovascular physician approved by the Louisiana State Board of Medical15
Examiners and appointed by the executive director of the board.16
(5) The secretary of the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals or his17
designee.18
(6) A member of the Louisiana Athletics Trainer's Association, Inc., appointed by19
the president of the association.20
(7) A member of the Governor's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports appointed21
by the director of the council.22
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that members of the study committee shall serve23
without compensation but may be reimbursed for incurred expenses; that legislative24
members shall receive such per diem and expenses as is provided for legislators during25
attendance at committee meetings; and that other members shall be paid in accordance with26
state travel regulations by the respective departments, agencies, or associations of which they27
are officers or employees.28
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the study committee should study the feasibility29
of requiring all collegiate athletes to be screened for early detection of heart disease.30 HLS 12RS-1548 ENGROSSED
HCR NO. 78
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BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the study committee shall meet as necessary and1
shall report its findings to the legislature not later than February 1, 2013.2
DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
Smith HCR No. 78
Creates a study committee to study and make recommendations with respect to the detection
and prevention of cardiac arrest in young athletes. Specifies that the study committee
created will be composed of seven members as follows:
(1)A member of the Senate Committee on Health and Welfare appointed by the
chairman of the committee.
(2)A member of the House Committee on Health and Welfare appointed by the
chairman of the committee.
(3)A member of the La. High School Athletics Association appointed by the executive
director of the association.
(4)A cardiovascular physician approved by the La. State Board of Medical Examiners
and appointed by the executive director of the board.
(5)The secretary of the La. Dept. of Health and Hospitals or his designee.
(6)A member of the La. Athletics Trainer's Association, Inc., appointed by the president
of the association.
(7)A member of the Governor's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports appointed by
the director of the council.
Requires the study committee to meet as necessary and report its findings to the legislature
not later than Feb. 1, 2013.
Summary of Amendments Adopted by House
Committee Amendments Proposed by House Committee on Health and Welfare to the
original bill.
1. Modified a provision of the study to properly reflect that the study committee
should study the feasibility of requiring all collegiate athletes be screened for
early detection of heart disease.
2. Made technical changes.