[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 159 (2013), Part 2]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 1589]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                    NATIONAL MARFAN AWARENESS MONTH

                                  _____
                                 

                      HON. MICHAEL G. FITZPATRICK

                            of pennsylvania

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, February 15, 2013

  Mr. FITZPATRICK. Mr. Speaker, I rise to raise awareness of Marfan 
syndrome and related heritable connective tissue disorders by observing 
National Marfan Awareness Month.
  Marfan syndrome is a rare genetic condition affecting roughly 1 in 
5,000 Americans. Marfan syndrome impacts the connective tissue 
throughout the body, which can lead to various health issues. Some of 
these health issues can be disabling or even fatal. In Marfan patients 
the largest artery in the body, the aorta, can weaken, enlarge, and 
rupture. By raising awareness today I seek to promote recognition and 
early diagnosis of Marfan syndrome so that serious cardiac events can 
be prevented.
  Early diagnosis and proper treatment are the keys to managing Marfan 
syndrome and living a full life. I am pleased to announce that the 
American Heart Association and the American College of Cardiology have 
released new treatment guidelines for thoracic aortic disease. Since 
recognition and proper treatment are the major components of preventing 
the most serious health issues, I call on the Centers for Disease 
Control and Prevention to work closely with the Marfan syndrome 
community to raise awareness of these conditions and the new treatment 
guidelines.
  While there is currently no cure for Marfan syndrome, efforts are 
underway to enhance our understanding of the condition and improve 
patient care. I applaud the National Institutes of Health, particularly 
the National, Heart, Lung and Blood Institute and the National 
Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases for their 
research efforts in this regard. I encourage NIH to expand research 
efforts in this area moving forward.
  On behalf of the Marfan syndrome and related heritable connective 
tissue disorders community, I urge my colleagues to join me in 
recognizing February as National Marfan Awareness Month.

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