[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 69 (Friday, May 24, 2002)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E915-E916]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    NATIONAL STROKE AWARENESS MONTH

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. DANNY K. DAVIS

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 23, 2002

  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, this month has been designated as 
National Stroke Awareness Month. In this regard, I will focus on the 
topic of stroke and its prevention.
  Stroke is an acute onset of focal neurologic deficits resulting from 
diminished blood flow.

[[Page E916]]

This diminished blood flow can be caused by ischemia (clogging) or 
hemorrhage (bleeding). In both scenarios, there is not enough 
oxygenated blood nourishing the brain, hence, a person will have a 
stroke.
  Risk factors for stroke include diabetes, high blood pressure, 
smoking, atrial fibrillation (fast heart beat), and cocaine.
  This disease affects so many citizens in our Nation. Stroke is 
America's No. 3 killer. This disease kills nearly 170,000 Americans 
annually. It attacks an American every 53 seconds consequently killing 
an American every 3 minutes.
  When we look at death rates in each State, the State of Illinois's 
death rate from stroke is ranked No. 23.
  This deadly disease costs our economy billions to manage in our 
hospitals and healthcare facilities. The estimated direct and indirect 
costs (in billions of dollars) for the management of stroke patients 
are 49.4 billion in the year 2002. The numbers for Heart disease are 
even more devastating.
  Stroke has no preference for any race or gender. It is one of the 
cardiovascular diseases, the top killers in each ethnic group. Many 
citizens of the African-American community deal with high blood 
pressure and diabetes. These citizens visit family physicians for 
check-ups infrequently. Education on prevention is not prevalent in 
many minority communities. Additionally, minorities deal with more 
stress than other populations. As a result, minorities become likely 
candidates for having a stroke.
  In the midst of these devastating statistics, there are answers. 
Education on prevention is an excellent route to fright the horrors of 
stroke. Additionally, we should continue to emphasize heart and stroke 
research. Heart and stroke research have not kept pace with the burdens 
of this disease. The NIH only invested $1.6 million on heart research 
and $240 million for stroke research in fiscal year 2001. Even in this 
time of increasing funding, the NIH only funds I of every 3 research 
applications. Hence, two-thirds of potentially lifesaving opportunities 
are lost.
  I urge my colleagues to increase funding to the NIH and CDC for heart 
and stroke research. It is critical that we act swiftly. I urge society 
to do their individual part and live healthy lifestyles. An American if 
capable should exercise three to four times a week, eat low-fat and 
high-fiber diet mostly throughout the week, perform activities that 
remove stress, and visit your family practitioner routinely.
  In closing, cardiovascular diseases including stoke kill almost as 
many Americans as the next seven leading causes of death combined, Lets 
invest in heart and stroke research,

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