III 

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; 


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•SRES 542 IS 

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 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 


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•SRES 542 IS 

1 (1) supports the goals and ideals of National 

2 Peripheral Arterial Disease Awareness Week; 

3 (2) acknowledges the critical importance of pe4 ripheral arterial disease awareness to improve na5 tional cardiovascular health; 

6 (3) supports raising awareness of the con7 sequences of undiagnosed and untreated peripheral 

8 arterial disease and the need to seek appropriate 

9 care as a serious public health issue; and 

10 (4) calls upon the people of the United States 

11 to observe the week with appropriate programs and 

12 activities. 

Æ 


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