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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Familial Hypercholesterolemia (FH) is a |
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life-threatening hereditary genetic condition causing high levels |
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of LDL cholesterol in the blood due to defective LDL receptors in |
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the body that, if left untreated, dramatically increases the risk |
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of premature and aggressive cardiovascular disease; and |
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WHEREAS, It is estimated that one in 250 people worldwide, |
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1.3 million Americans, and 115,000 Texans suffer from FH, though |
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less than 10 percent of those affected are diagnosed prior to an |
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unexpected heart attack or stroke in early adulthood; the condition |
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is inherited from at least one affected parent, but in rare cases |
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where both parents are affected, the disorder is much more severe |
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and carries a much higher risk of heart attack and heart disease, |
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even in childhood; and |
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WHEREAS, FH can be detected through a physical examination, |
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blood tests, genetic testing, and the assessment of a patient's |
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family medical history; because the condition is caused by |
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defective LDL receptors in the body, cases cannot be treated |
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through lifestyle and dietary changes alone and must be managed |
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with life-preserving cholesterol-lowering drugs; and |
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WHEREAS, Increased public awareness is needed to help ensure |
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that FH sufferers are diagnosed and treated as early as possible; |
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because FH is 100 percent treatable if caught in the pediatric |
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stage, early detection has the power to save lives and prevent |
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financial losses due to FH for Texas families and the State of |
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Texas; and |
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WHEREAS, Since learning eight years ago that both she and her |
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son have FH, Wenter Blair Anderson has worked tirelessly in behalf |
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of this goal; she has advocated for state legislation that would |
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require lipid panel screenings for third and fourth graders during |
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well child visits prior to the start of the school year, a practice |
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that would comply with guidelines established by the National |
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Institute for Health and Care Excellence, the National Heart, Lung, |
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and Blood Institute, and the American Academy of Pediatrics, as |
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well as with the CDC Office of Public Health Genomics's designation |
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of FH as a Tier 1 issue; and |
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WHEREAS, Ms. Anderson has also been invited to speak at a |
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number of medical conferences in the U.S. and abroad; a resident and |
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cattle rancher in Ponder, she is a founding board member and former |
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vice president of the FH Foundation, a national organization, as |
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well as a current board member of the National Lipid Association |
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Foundation and a former member of the American Heart Association |
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Texas Legislative Advisory Board; and |
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WHEREAS, By helping to promote education and screenings for |
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FH in all Texans, advocates such as Wenter Blair Anderson are |
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empowering more individuals to take important action to protect |
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their health; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 86th Texas |
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Legislature hereby encourage greater awareness of Familial |
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Hypercholesterolemia (FH) and call on all Texans to learn more |
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about this serious medical condition. |