[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 916 Introduced in House (IH)]

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117th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 916

Expressing support for the annual Heart Valve Disease Awareness Day on 
        February 22, 2022, coinciding with American Heart Month.


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                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            February 9, 2022

    Mr. Barr (for himself, Miss Rice of New York, and Mrs. Beatty) 
submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee 
                         on Energy and Commerce

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                               RESOLUTION


 
Expressing support for the annual Heart Valve Disease Awareness Day on 
        February 22, 2022, coinciding with American Heart Month.

Whereas, as many as 11,600,000 people in the United States have heart valve 
        disease, which involves damage to one or more of the heart's valves and 
        can reduce blood flow, causing the heart to work harder and the body to 
        get less oxygen;
Whereas around 25,000 people in the United States die from heart valve disease 
        every year;
Whereas more than 1 in 10 people age 75 and older are estimated to have moderate 
        to severe valve disease;
Whereas if not treated, some forms of heart valve disease can lead to major 
        health problems including decreased mobility, disability, loss of 
        independence, heart failure, stroke, blood clotting, or even death;
Whereas when aortic stenosis, a common form of valve disease, becomes severe, 
        the average survival rate without surgical intervention is as low as 50 
        percent at 2 years after the onset of symptoms and 20 percent at 5 years 
        after such onset;
Whereas patients with severe mitral regurgitation, which can be caused by mitral 
        valve prolapse, who don't have surgery have mortality rates of 20 
        percent after 1 year and 50 percent after 5 years;
Whereas symptoms of heart valve disease such as shortness of breath, excessive 
        fatigue, and fainting are often dismissed as normal aspects of aging;
Whereas people are at higher risk of developing heart valve disease if they have 
        high blood pressure, high cholesterol, insulin resistance, diabetes, 
        coronary heart disease, a congenital heart abnormality or family history 
        of valve disease, a history of heart problems like heart attack or heart 
        failure, rheumatic fever or infective endocarditis, or previous valve 
        disease;
Whereas people are also at higher risk of developing heart valve disease if they 
        are a smoker, overweight or obese, get little physical activity or 
        exercise, or are older in age;
Whereas heart valve disease, with proper education and awareness, can often be 
        detected through a simple physical exam and treated with either valve 
        repair or valve replacement; and
Whereas February 22, 2022, is the designated day to observe Heart Valve Disease 
        Awareness Day: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives supports--
            (1) the goals of Heart Valve Disease Awareness Day;
            (2) increasing recognition of the specific risks and 
        symptoms of heart valve disease;
            (3) improving detection and treatment of heart valve 
        disease; and
            (4) the development of prediction models, guidelines, and 
        educational resources for individuals who are at risk of 
        cardiac disease and sudden cardiac death.
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