[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 243 Agreed to Senate (ATS)]

112th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 243

   Promoting increased awareness, diagnosis, and treatment of atrial 
 fibrillation to address the high morbidity and mortality rates and to 
    prevent avoidable hospitalizations associated with the disease.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             July 29, 2011

 Mr. Crapo (for himself, Mr. Casey, Mr. Inouye, Mr. Akaka, Mr. Rubio, 
     and Mr. Toomey) submitted the following resolution; which was 
                        considered and agreed to

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
   Promoting increased awareness, diagnosis, and treatment of atrial 
 fibrillation to address the high morbidity and mortality rates and to 
    prevent avoidable hospitalizations associated with the disease.

Whereas atrial fibrillation is a cardiac condition that results when the usual 
        coordinated electrical activity in the atria of the heart becomes 
        disorganized and chaotic, hampering the ability of the atria to fill the 
        ventricles with blood, and allowing blood to pool in the atria and form 
        clots;
Whereas an estimated 2,500,000 people in the United States are living with 
        atrial fibrillation, the most common ``serious'' heart rhythm 
        abnormality that occurs in people older than 65 years of age;
Whereas atrial fibrillation is associated with an increased long-term risk of 
        stroke, heart failure, and all-cause mortality, especially among women;
Whereas people older than 40 years of age have a 1-in-4 risk of developing 
        atrial fibrillation in their lifetime;
Whereas an estimated 15 percent of strokes are the result of untreated atrial 
        fibrillation, a condition that dramatically increases the risk of stroke 
        to approximately 5 times more than the general population;
Whereas atrial fibrillation accounts for approximately 529,000 hospital 
        discharges annually;
Whereas atrial fibrillation costs an estimated $3,600 per patient for a total 
        cost burden in the United States of $15,700,000,000;
Whereas better patient and health care provider education is needed for the 
        timely recognition of atrial fibrillation symptoms;
Whereas an electrocardiogram is an effective and risk-free screen for heart 
        rhythm irregularities and can be part of a routine preventive exam;
Whereas there is a dearth of outcome performance measures that focus on the 
        management of atrial fibrillation; and
Whereas evidence-based care guidelines improve patient outcomes and prevent 
        unnecessary hospitalizations for individuals with undiagnosed atrial 
        fibrillation and for patients once atrial fibrillation is detected: Now, 
        therefore, be it
    Resolved, That it is the sense of the Senate that the Secretary of 
Health and Human Services should work with leaders in the medical 
community to explore ways to improve medical research, screening and 
prevention methods, and surveillance efforts in order to prevent and 
appropriately manage atrial fibrillation, including by--
            (1) advancing the development of process and outcome 
        measures for the management of atrial fibrillation by national 
        developers;
            (2) facilitating the adoption of evidence-based guidelines 
        by the medical community to improve patient outcomes;
            (3) advancing atrial fibrillation research and education 
        by--
                    (A) encouraging basic science research to determine 
                the causes and optimal treatments for atrial 
                fibrillation;
                    (B) exploring development of screening tools and 
                protocols to determine the risk of developing atrial 
                fibrillation; and
                    (C) enhancing current surveillance and tracking 
                systems to include atrial fibrillation; and
            (4) improving access to appropriate medical care for 
        patients suffering from atrial fibrillation by encouraging 
        education programs that promote collaboration among the Federal 
        health agencies and that increase public and clinician 
        awareness of atrial fibrillation, including risk assessment, 
        screening, treatment, and appropriate clinical management.
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