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[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 709 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>

118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 709

Supporting the designation of September 2023 as ``National Cholesterol 
   Education Month'', and September 30, 2023, as LDL-C Awareness Day.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 20, 2023

  Mrs. Cherfilus-McCormick (for herself, Mrs. Cammack, Ms. Adams, Mr. 
 Cleaver, Mr. Garcia of Illinois, Ms. Schakowsky, Mr. Payne, Mr. Green 
of Texas, Ms. Kuster, Ms. Blunt Rochester, Mr. Veasey, and Mr. Johnson 
 of Georgia) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to 
                  the Committee on Energy and Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION

 
Supporting the designation of September 2023 as ``National Cholesterol 
   Education Month'', and September 30, 2023, as LDL-C Awareness Day.

Whereas cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death for men and women, 
        including people of color in the United States, who have higher rates of 
        cardiovascular disease and tend to develop this condition at an earlier 
        age than non-Hispanic White populations;
Whereas cardiovascular disease disproportionately affects underserved 
        populations as 52.3 percent of Hispanic men and 42.7 percent of Hispanic 
        women over the age of 20 have cardiovascular disease, and 60.1 percent 
        of Black men and 58.8 percent of Black women 20 years of age and older 
        have cardiovascular disease;
Whereas projected rates of cardiovascular disease are expected to increase 
        significantly in the United States by 2060, disproportionately affecting 
        communities of color;
Whereas women's awareness of cardiovascular disease as the leading cause of 
        death has declined by approximately 20 percent in the last decade, most 
        significantly among younger women;
Whereas rural places in the United States have higher death rates for 
        cardiovascular disease and stroke, as well as a 40-percent higher 
        prevalence of cardiovascular disease than its urban counterparts;
Whereas rural women experience higher maternal mortality rates compared to urban 
        women, driven largely by increased cardiovascular deaths;
Whereas risk factors contributing to cardiovascular disease and poor health 
        outcomes include elevated low density lipoprotein ``bad'' cholesterol 
        (LDL-C), high levels of lipoprotein(a) cholesterol, hypertension, 
        obesity, low awareness of personal risk factors, genetics, geographic 
        location, and inequitable access to care;
Whereas lipoprotein(a) cholesterol is predominantly genetically inherited and 
        can build up in the walls of blood vessels creating cholesterol 
        deposits, or plaques, and lead to atherosclerotic cardiovascular 
        disease;
Whereas LDL-C is a modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular disease and lower 
        LDL-C is associated with a reduced risk of heart attack and stroke;
Whereas more than 25.5 percent of adults in the United States have high LDL-C;
Whereas more than 200 studies with over 2,000,000 patients have broadly 
        established that elevated LDL-C unequivocally causes atherosclerotic 
        cardiovascular disease;
Whereas atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, which is responsible for nearly 
        85 percent of cardiovascular deaths, is the build-up of cholesterol 
        plaque within the walls of arteries and includes acute coronary 
        syndrome, peripheral arterial disease, and events such as heart attacks 
        and strokes;
Whereas the resources needed to bend the curve in cardiovascular disease exist, 
        yet 71 percent of hypercholesterolemia patients at high risk of a 
        cardiovascular event never achieve recommended LDL-C treatment guideline 
        thresholds;
Whereas only 33 percent of people with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease 
        who are taking statins, a guideline recommended lipid lowering therapy, 
        actually achieve LDL-C goals;
Whereas only 27 percent of patients hospitalized for heart attack receive an 
        LDL-C test in the 90 days following discharge from a hospital, as 
        recommended by clinical guidelines;
Whereas African-American adults were less likely than their White peers to 
        receive an LDL-C test in the 90 days following discharge from a 
        hospital, despite having a higher prevalence of cardiovascular disease;
Whereas significant gaps in care lead to subsequent cardiovascular events;
Whereas the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Million Hearts program 
        seeks to improve access to and quality of care to reduce heart disease, 
        stroke, and death; and
Whereas September is recognized as National Cholesterol Education Month to raise 
        awareness of cardiovascular disease and the importance of knowing one's 
        LDL-C number: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) encourages all people in the United States to know 
        their LDL-C number; and
            (2) recognizes the urgent need for screening and treating 
        of LDL-C to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and 
        cardiovascular events such as heart attacks or strokes.
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