2024 -- S 2789

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LC005589

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2024

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S E N A T E   R E S O L U T I O N

DESIGNATING FEBRUARY OF 2024 AS "AMERICAN HEART MONTH" TO RAISE

AWARENESS ABOUT CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE AND THE IMPORTANCE OF

KNOWING ONE'S CHOLESTEROL

     Introduced By: Senators Britto, F. Lombardi, Ciccone, Ujifusa, Felag, de la Cruz,
Rogers, DeLuca, Tikoian, and Paolino

     Date Introduced: March 14, 2024

     Referred To: Recommended for Immediate Consideration

     WHEREAS, The American Heart Association defines cholesterol as a waxy, fat-like

substance circulating in the blood; and

     WHEREAS, The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) identifies two types

of cholesterol: low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and high-density lipoprotein

cholesterol (HDL-C); and

     WHEREAS, According to the CDC, nearly 94 million adults in the United States have

high cholesterol; and

     WHEREAS, Heart disease is the leading cause of death in Rhode Island, accounting for

more than 2,300 deaths in 2017; and

     WHEREAS, Inherited risks of heart disease include familial hypercholesterolemia, or

FH, and elevated Lp(a) which can be detected and treated early; and

     WHEREAS, FH is a common, life-threatening genetic disorder affecting the body's

ability to remove LDL cholesterol and if left untreated, leads to early heart attack and heart

disease; and

     WHEREAS, Patients with FH or elevated cholesterol levels may need treatment

including statins and lipid-lowering medications; and

     WHEREAS, In Rhode Island the heart disease death rate for Black Rhode Islanders, age

35+, is 248 per 100,000 compared to 304 per 100,000 overall; and

     WHEREAS, February is designated as American Heart Month by the National Institutes

of Health, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, to raise awareness of heart disease,

cholesterol and the importance of screening and treatment; and

     WHEREAS, The LDL-Action Summit, a consortium of the nation's leading

cardiovascular stakeholder groups, seeks to cut cardiovascular events in half by 2030; and

     WHEREAS, The CDC's Million Hearts program is a national initiative to prevent one

million heart attacks and strokes between 2022 and 2027; now, therefore be it

     RESOLVED, That this Senate of the State of Rhode Island hereby designates February of

2024 as "American Heart Month" in order to raise public awareness of heart disease, and

cholesterol-related illnesses including Familial Hypercholesterolemia and LP(a); and be it further

     RESOLVED, That this Senate hereby supports raising awareness of heart disease,

cholesterol, and lipid-lowering treatments to improve the health of Rhode Island residents; and be

it further

     RESOLVED, That this Senate hereby respectfully requests that the Rhode Island State

Department of Health dedicates resources to addressing cardiovascular disease and improved

cholesterol screenings for Rhode Island residents; and be it further

     RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to

transmit duly certified copies of this resolution to the Director of the Rhode Island State

Department of Health, and the American Heart Association – Rhode Island.

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LC005589

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