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[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 542 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

109th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. RES. 542

Supporting the goals and ideas of National Peripheral Arterial Disease 
                             Awareness Week

_______________________________________________________________________

                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                July 27 (legislative day, July 26), 2006

    Mr. Crapo (for himself and Mr. Dorgan) submitted the following 
 resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Health, Education, 
                          Labor, and Pensions

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION

 
Supporting the goals and ideas of National Peripheral Arterial Disease 
                             Awareness Week

Whereas peripheral arterial disease is a vascular disease that occurs when 
        narrowed arteries reduce the blood flow to the limbs;
Whereas peripheral arterial disease is a significant vascular disease that can 
        be as serious as a heart attack or stroke;
Whereas peripheral arterial disease affects approximately 8,000,000 to 
        12,000,000 Americans;
Whereas patients with peripheral arterial disease are at increased risk of heart 
        attack and stroke and are 6 times more likely to die within 10 years 
        than are patients without peripheral arterial disease;
Whereas the survival rate for individuals with peripheral arterial disease is 
        worse than the outcome for many common cancers;
Whereas peripheral arterial disease is a leading cause of lower limb amputation 
        in the United States;
Whereas many patients with peripheral arterial disease have walking impairment 
        that leads to a diminished quality of life and functional capacity;
Whereas a majority of patients with peripheral arterial disease are asymptomatic 
        and less than half of individuals with peripheral arterial disease are 
        aware of their diagnoses;
Whereas African-American ethnicity is a strong and independent risk factor for 
        peripheral arterial disease, and yet this fact is not well known to 
        those at risk;
Whereas effective treatments are available for people with peripheral arterial 
        disease to reduce heart attacks, strokes, and amputations and to improve 
        quality of life;
Whereas many patients with peripheral arterial disease are still untreated with 
        proven therapies;
Whereas there is a need for comprehensive educational efforts designed to 
        increase awareness of peripheral arterial disease among medical 
        professionals and the greater public in order to promote early detection 
        and proper treatment of this disease to improve quality of life, prevent 
        heart attacks and strokes, and save lives and limbs; and
Whereas September 18 through September 22, 2006, would be an appropriate week to 
        observe National peripheral arterial disease Awareness Week: Now, 
        therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) supports the goals and ideals of National Peripheral 
        Arterial Disease Awareness Week;
            (2) acknowledges the critical importance of peripheral 
        arterial disease awareness to improve national cardiovascular 
        health;
            (3) supports raising awareness of the consequences of 
        undiagnosed and untreated peripheral arterial disease and the 
        need to seek appropriate care as a serious public health issue; 
        and
            (4) calls upon the people of the United States to observe 
        the week with appropriate programs and activities.
                                 <all>
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