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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Heart disease affects approximately 1.3 million |
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adults in Texas and is responsible for more deaths each year than |
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accidents, AIDS, and all forms of cancer combined; and |
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WHEREAS, In spite of its prevalence and seriousness, heart |
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disease often goes undetected; for a full 50 percent of heart |
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disease sufferers, the first symptom of their condition is a severe |
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heart attack, which is frequently fatal; and |
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WHEREAS, Early detection, diagnosis, and treatment are |
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vitally important in the prevention and management of heart |
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disease; blood pressure monitoring is an easy and effective first |
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step in assessing the risk of heart attack and stroke, and a risk |
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scoring system can determine the statistical probability of an |
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individual experiencing a cardiovascular event in the next 10 |
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years, based on a few questions about such risk factors as blood |
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pressure, cholesterol, smoking, and diabetes; and |
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WHEREAS, The Society for Heart Attack Prevention and |
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Eradication (SHAPE) is a nonprofit organization created to promote |
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public awareness and to support research related to the early |
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detection, prevention, and treatment of atherosclerosis, or |
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arterial plaques, the most common underlying cause of heart |
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attacks; and |
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WHEREAS, SHAPE is committed to identifying seemingly healthy |
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persons who are at increased risk of heart problems, as |
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asymptomatic individuals are often the type who experience a sudden |
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lethal heart attack or stroke; a growing body of evidence suggests |
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that cardiovascular events are among the leading causes of vehicle |
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accidents, second only to driver error, and that half of such |
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accidents occur with drivers who had no previous knowledge of their |
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condition; and |
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WHEREAS, The SHAPE Task Force, consisting of an international |
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group of prominent cardiovascular clinicians and researchers, has |
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issued guidelines to educate physicians on how to identify |
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asymptomatic atherosclerosis and other heart risk indicators and |
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thereby implement proper therapies to prevent a future heart |
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attack; and |
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WHEREAS, In addition to these important endeavors, members of |
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SHAPE are gathering to celebrate Texas Blood Pressure Day on |
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September 1, 2013; this worthwhile event encourages Texans to take |
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an active role in managing their heart health through risk |
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detection, a simple yet powerful tool in the fight against our |
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nation's number one killer; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 83rd Texas |
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Legislature recognize September 1, 2013, as Texas Blood Pressure |
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Day, urge all citizens of Texas to get their blood pressure checked, |
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and commend the members of the Society for Heart Attack Prevention |
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and Eradication for their outstanding efforts to promote public |
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awareness and the significance of early detection; and, be it |
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further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for SHAPE as an expression of high regard by the Texas |
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House of Representatives. |