III 

110TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. CON. RES. 393 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

SEPTEMBER 26 (legislative day, SEPTEMBER 17), 2008 

Received 

OCTOBER 2 (legislative day, SEPTEMBER 17), 2008 

Referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions 

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 

Supporting the goals and ideals of ‘‘National Sudden Cardiac 

Arrest Awareness Month’’. 

Whereas sudden cardiac arrest is a leading cause of death in 

the United States; 

Whereas sudden cardiac arrest takes the lives of more than 

250,000 people in the United States each year, according 

to the Heart Rhythm Society; 


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HCON 393 RFS 

Whereas anyone can experience sudden cardiac arrest, including infants, high school athletes, and people in their 30s 

and 40s who have no sign of heart disease; 

Whereas sudden cardiac arrest is extremely deadly, with the 

National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute giving the disease a mortality rate of approximately 95 percent; 

Whereas to have a chance of surviving an attack, the American Heart Association states that victims of sudden cardiac arrest must receive a lifesaving defibrillation within 

the first 4 to 6 minutes of an attack; 

Whereas for every minute that passes without a shock from 

an automated external defibrillator, the chance of survival decreases by approximately 10 percent; 

Whereas lifesaving treatments for sudden cardiac arrest are 

effective if administered in time; 

Whereas according to joint research by the American College 

of Cardiology and the American Heart Association, 

implantable cardioverter defibrillators are 98 percent effective at protecting people at risk for sudden cardiac arrest; 

Whereas according to the American Heart Association, 

cardiopulmonary resuscitation and early defibrillation 

with an automated external defibrillator more than double the chances that a victim will survive; 

Whereas the Yale-New Haven Hospital and the New England 

Journal of Medicine state that women and African-Americans are at a higher risk than the general population for 

dying as a result of sudden cardiac arrest, yet this fact 

is not well known to people at risk; 

Whereas there is a need for comprehensive educational efforts 

designed to increase awareness of sudden cardiac arrest 


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HCON 393 RFS 

and related therapies among medical professionals and 

the greater public in order to promote early detection and 

proper treatment of this disease and to improve quality 

of life; and 

Whereas the Heart Rhythm Society and the Sudden Cardiac 

Arrest Coalition are preparing related public awareness 

and education campaigns on sudden cardiac arrest to be 

held each year during the month of October: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 

2 concurring), That Congress— 

3 (1) supports the goals and ideals of ‘‘National 

4 Sudden Cardiac Arrest Awareness Month’’; 

5 (2) supports efforts to educate people about 

6 sudden cardiac arrest and to raise awareness about 

7 the risk of sudden cardiac arrest, identifying warn8 ing signs, and the need to seek medical attention in 

9 a timely manner; 

10 (3) acknowledges the critical importance of sud11 den cardiac arrest awareness to improving national 

12 cardiovascular health; and 


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HCON 393 RFS 

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

2 to observe this month with appropriate programs 

3 and activities. 

Passed the House of Representatives September 25, 

2008. 

Attest: LORRAINE C. MILLER, 

Clerk. 


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