[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 15 (Friday, February 15, 2002)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E172]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               STATEMENT REGARDING CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. LYNN N. RIVERS

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, February 14, 2002

  Ms. RIVERS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my support for 
initiatives to prevent cardiovascular disease.
  While Valentine's Day gives us the chance to think about the people 
we love, it also is a good time to focus on the health of our hearts. 
Unfortunately, the hearts of Americans are a major source of illness, 
and we can expect 1 million of our citizens to suffer a heart attack 
this year. Approximately one in five Americans suffers from some form 
of cardiovascular disease.
  Cardiovascular disease is both painful for families affected and 
costly for society: heart disease, stroke, and other cardiovascular 
diseases cost the United States nearly $330 billion in medical expenses 
and lost productivity in 2002, more than any other disease. Preventing 
these diseases could save families from loss and could save public 
resources by keeping people in the workplace and minimizing medical 
costs.
  I applaud both the work of health care providers and researchers who 
fight these diseases and the efforts to raise awareness of 
cardiovascular diseases during American Health Month. I strongly 
support initiatives to educate Americans about cardiovascular disease 
and to encourage healthy lifestyles that will prevent or limit the 
incidence of these illnesses. We can do no less for the people we love.

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