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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Whereas anyone can experience sudden cardiac arrest, includ-
ing 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 dis-
ease a mortality rate of approximately 95 percent; 
Whereas to have a chance of surviving an attack, the Amer-
ican Heart Association states that victims of sudden car-
diac 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 sur-
vival 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 ef-
fective at protecting people at risk for sudden cardiac ar-
rest; 
Whereas according to the American Heart Association, 
cardiopulmonary resuscitation and early defibrillation 
with an automated external defibrillator more than dou-
ble 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-Amer-
icans 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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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, there-
fore, be it 
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 
concurring), That Congress— 
(1) supports the goals and ideals of ‘‘National 
Sudden Cardiac Arrest Awareness Month’’; 
(2) supports efforts to educate people about 
sudden cardiac arrest and to raise awareness about 
the risk of sudden cardiac arrest, identifying warn-
ing signs, and the need to seek medical attention in 
a timely manner; 
(3) acknowledges the critical importance of sud-
den cardiac arrest awareness to improving national 
cardiovascular health; and 
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(4) calls upon the people of the United States 
to observe this month with appropriate programs 
and activities. 
Passed the House of Representatives September 25, 
2008. 
Attest: 
LORRAINE C. MILLER, 
Clerk. 
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