TITLE: Recognizing May 2013 as Stroke Awareness Month.

SUMMARY: Recognizing May 2013 as Stroke Awareness Month.

FULL TEXT:
WHEREAS, The National Stroke Association is sponsoring the observance of Stroke Awareness Month in May 2013; and WHEREAS, Stroke is a prevalent cardiovascular disease and imposes a tremendous cost on victims, their families, the health care system, and society at large; it is the fourth leading cause of death in the United States, claiming the lives of more than 133,000 people each year, and it is a major cause of serious, long-term adult disability; in 2010, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated the total cost of cardiovascular diseases in the United States at $444 billion, and the sum is likely to become even greater as the United States population ages; and WHEREAS, One of the causal risks for blood clots and stroke comes from atrial fibrillation, the most common type of irregular heartbeat; AF is either nonvalvular or valvular, though scientific research shows that nonvalvular AF is by far the most common, accounting for approximately 95 percent of AF; a 2012 report from the American Heart Association estimated that NVAF affects 5.8 million people in the United States; approximately 15 percent of strokes are due to NVAF, and individuals with NVAF have a risk of stroke that is five times greater than average; and WHEREAS, By improving their knowledge of the various types of stroke and of how to lower their risk of stroke, Texans can help reduce the incidence of this deadly disease; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 83rd Texas Legislature hereby recognize May 2013 as Stroke Awareness Month and encourage all Texas citizens to get involved in the effort to call attention to this serious issue. Howard Fletcher Speaker of the House I certify that H.R. No. 2880 was adopted by the House on May 26, 2013, by a non-record vote. Chief Clerk of the House