[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 182 (Friday, November 16, 2018)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1534]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 PULMONARY HYPERTENSION AWARENESS MONTH

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                           HON. JAMIE RASKIN

                              of maryland

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, November 16, 2018

  Mr. RASKIN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Pulmonary 
Hypertension (PH) Awareness Month and the outstanding work of the 
Pulmonary Hypertension Association in the fight against this rare and 
debilitating disease.
  PH is a type of high blood pressure that occurs in the arteries of 
the lungs. It reflects the pressure the heart must apply to pump blood 
from the heart through the arteries of the lungs. As with a tangled 
hose, pressure builds up and backs up, forcing the heart to work harder 
and less oxygen to reach the body. PH symptoms generally include 
fatigue, dizziness, and shortness of breath with the severity of the 
disease correlating with its progression. If left undiagnosed or 
untreated it can lead to heat failure and death.
  When individuals are diagnosed with PH quickly and begin appropriate 
therapy, their prognosis and life-expectancy improve dramatically. 
However, it currently takes an average of 2.5 years to receive a 
diagnosis and three quarters of patients have severe PH when they are 
finally diagnosed. Without treatment, historical studies have shown a 
mean survival time of 2.8 years after diagnosis for pulmonary arterial 
hypertension. Patients with advanced PH cannot benefit as greatly from 
available therapies and often face dramatic and costly medical 
interventions, including 24-hour IV infused medication, increased risk 
for hospitalization and in some cases heart-lung transplantation.
  I am proud to represent the Pulmonary Hypertension Association, which 
is headquartered in my district in Silver Spring, Maryland. The 
Association is dedicated to extending and improving the life of those 
affected by PH and was the first organization in the world dedicated to 
providing comprehensive PH patient and caregiver support, medical 
education, specialty care services that improve patients' quality of 
life, and research funding. Thanks in large part to the Pulmonary 
Hypertension Association's advocacy for continued investment in medical 
research and sustained scientific progress, there are 14 Food and Drug 
Administration-approved targeted treatment options for two forms of PH. 
Additionally, their efforts to establish a PH Program at the CDC 
focusing on education, awareness, and epidemiology activities that 
promote early and accurate diagnosis and quality care for PH are to be 
commended.
  Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to join me in recognizing 
November as Pulmonary Hypertension Awareness Month and to continue 
supporting federal activities that improve the lives of those with PH, 
including research programs at the National Institutes of Health and 
the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

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