HYDE-SMITH OFFERS NATIONAL CHOLESTEROL EDUCATION MONTH RESOLUTION
Hyde-Smith, Bipartisan Cosponsors’ Measure Advocates Improving Heart Health Knowledge Among Americans
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.) on Monday introduced a resolution to encourage Americans to become more knowledgeable about their cholesterol levels to fight heart disease as the leading cause of death in the United States.
In a salute to February’s American Heart Month, Hyde-Smith’s bipartisan resolution (S.Res.566) would designate September 2024 as “National Cholesterol Education Month” and September 30, 2024, as “LDL–C Awareness Day” to raise awareness of cardiovascular disease and encourage LDL-C screening.
“Too many of us have lost someone to complications of cardiovascular disease. Mississippi is in the top five states with the highest rates of cardiovascular disease, a statistic I would love my state to lose,” Hyde-Smith said. “As a nation, every one of us can and should educate ourselves and take action to get these disease rates down and improve the lives of those living with heart disease.”
U.S. Senators Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), John Boozman (R-Ark.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Kyrsten Sinema (I-Ariz.), and Ted Budd (R-N.C.) cosponsored the resolution.
After citing the prevalence of cardiovascular disease in the United States and projections that it will increase significantly by 2060, the resolution encourages all Americans to know their low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL–C) number and advocates greater screening and treating of elevated LDL–C to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and cardiovascular events, including heart attacks and strokes.
The resolution also cites the national Million Hearts initiative to prevent 1 million heart attacks and strokes within five years. The Mississippi State Department of Health reports that 8,000 Mississippians die from heart disease every year.
Read the National Cholesterol Education Month resolution here and below:
RESOLUTION
Designating September 2024 as “National Cholesterol Education Month” and September 30, 2024, as “LDL–C Awareness Day.”
Whereas cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death for men and women in the United States;
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 the 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 2024 as “National Cholesterol Education Month”;
(3) designates September 30, 2024, 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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