[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 496 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 496

Designating September 2023 as ``National Cholesterol Education Month'' 
            and September 30, 2023, as LDL-C Awareness Day.


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                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           December 13, 2023

 Mrs. Hyde-Smith (for herself and Mr. Peters) submitted the following 
    resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
Designating 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;
Whereas projected rates of cardiovascular disease are expected to increase 
        significantly in the United States by 2060;
Whereas, compared to urban areas, rural areas in the United States have higher 
        death rates for cardiovascular disease and stroke, and a 40 percent 
        higher prevalence of cardiovascular disease;
Whereas risk factors contributing to cardiovascular disease and poor health 
        outcomes include elevated low density lipoprotein cholesterol (referred 
        to in this preamble as ``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 having 
        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 more than 2,000,000 patients have broadly 
        established that elevated LDL-C unequivocally causes atherosclerotic 
        cardiovascular disease;
Whereas atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease 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 on 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 individuals with atherosclerotic cardiovascular 
        disease who are taking statins, a guideline recommended lipid lowering 
        therapy, actually achieve LDL-C goals;
Whereas, although clinical guidelines recommend that a patient hospitalized for 
        heart attack receive an LDL-C test in the 90 days following discharge 
        from a hospital, only 27 percent of patients receive such test;
Whereas African-American adults are less likely 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 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 Senate--
            (1) encourages all individuals in the United States to know 
        their low density lipoprotein cholesterol (referred to in this 
        resolution as ``LDL-C'') number;
            (2) designates September 2023, as ``National Cholesterol 
        Education Month'';
            (3) designates September 30, 2023, as ``LDL-C Awareness 
        Day''; and
            (4) recognizes the urgent need for screening and treating 
        of elevated LDL-C to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease 
        and cardiovascular events, including heart attacks and strokes.
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