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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death |
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in the United States, and approximately 21 million U.S. patients |
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have been diagnosed with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, |
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indicating that they are at risk of a cardiovascular event; and |
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WHEREAS, In Texas, health care professionals have diagnosed |
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angina, strokes, heart attacks, or coronary heart diseases for more |
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than 1,790,000 adults, and these conditions have been identified as |
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manifestations of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease; in |
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addition, over 864,000 adult Texans have reported experiencing a |
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heart attack in their lifetime, and more than 798,000 have reported |
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experiencing a stroke; the heart disease death rate in Texas is 328 |
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deaths per 100,000 individuals over the age of 35, surpassing the |
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national rate of 319.5; and |
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WHEREAS, Research shows that atherosclerotic cardiovascular |
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disease is linked to the buildup of cholesterol in the arteries, and |
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the risk of cardiovascular events can be reduced by decreasing |
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low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels; nearly 70 |
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million U.S. adults had higher than recommended LDL-C levels in |
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2016, and more than 43 million U.S. residents are currently being |
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treated with lipid-lowering therapies to manage cardiovascular |
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risk; statins are one of the leading lipid-lowering therapies, and |
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20 percent of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease patients |
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taking statins have achieved healthy levels of LDL-C; and |
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WHEREAS, The total direct and indirect cost of |
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atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease in the U.S. was $555 billion |
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in 2016, and the cost is projected to reach $1.1 trillion by 2035; |
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each year, the State of Texas spends an estimated $10.53 billion on |
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direct medical expenses for health care related to atherosclerotic |
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cardiovascular disease; and |
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WHEREAS, Cardiovascular diseases impact the lives of |
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countless residents across the state, and it is vital that these |
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Texans have access to quality health care; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 88th Texas |
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Legislature hereby urge the Texas Department of State Health |
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Services and the Texas Health and Human Services Commission to |
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expand their comprehensive cardiovascular screening programs and |
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explore ways to collaborate with federal and national agencies and |
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organizations to establish or expand cardiovascular screening |
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programs; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That the Texas cardiovascular plan should be |
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updated to enhance the quality of care rendered to patients and |
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improve health outcomes; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 88th Texas |
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Legislature hereby express support for the creation of policies to |
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lower the rates of death caused by atherosclerotic cardiovascular |
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disease; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That the chief clerk of the Texas House of |
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Representatives forward an official copy of this resolution to the |
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commissioners of the Texas Department of State Health Services and |
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the Texas Health and Human Services Commission. |