HR 619: Minority Health Month; April 2025; encourage cholesterol screening; recognize

House Resolution 619

By: Representatives Bennett of the 94th, Hugley of the 141st, Bazemore of the 69th, Carter of the 93rd, Alexander of the 66th, and others

A RESOLUTION

Recognizing April 2025 as Minority Health Month to encourage cholesterol screening; and for other purposes.

WHEREAS, high cholesterol, also called hypercholesterolemia, is the chronic presence of high levels of cholesterol in the blood that can lead to cardiovascular disease, and even cardiovascular events like heart attacks or strokes; and

WHEREAS, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that cardiovascular disease is arguably the most underappreciated public health crisis of our time, and someone in the United States has a heart attack every 40 seconds, yet about 80 percent are preventable; and

WHEREAS, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), or "bad" cholesterol, is an easily modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular disease, more than 80 million adults have high LDL-C, and lower LDL-C is associated with a reduced risk of heart attack and stroke; and

WHEREAS, heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States among racial and ethnic minority populations; and

WHEREAS, cardiovascular disease accounts for more than 22,000 deaths in Georgia a year, which is one in three deaths overall; and

WHEREAS, in 2019, African Americans were 30 percent more likely to die from heart disease than non-Hispanic whites, and although African American adults are 30 percent more likely to have high blood pressure, they are less likely than non-Hispanic whites to have their blood pressure under control; and

WHEREAS, African American women are nearly 50 percent more likely to have high blood pressure, as compared to non-Hispanic white women; and

WHEREAS, the American Heart Association (AHA) has demonstrated that Hispanic Americans are at exceptionally high risk for cardiovascular disease and coronary heart disease, both of which can lead to a stroke or heart attack; and

WHEREAS, the AHA indicates that cardiovascular disease disproportionately affects minority populations: 52.3 percent of Hispanic males and 42.7 percent of Hispanic females over the age of 20 are affected by cardiovascular disease and 60.1 percent of Black males and 58.8 percent of Black females 20 years of age and older have cardiovascular disease; and

WHEREAS, the CDC found that one in three deaths in the United States is due to heart disease and this results in more than $216 billion in healthcare cost; and

WHEREAS, nearly 60 percent of middle-aged Hispanic adults have high cholesterol, yet only half are aware of this, according to a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association; and

WHEREAS, a study published in the American Journal of Preventative Cardiology found cholesterol testing, an important preventive measure for reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease, declined during the COVID-19 pandemic; and

WHEREAS, the resources needed to bend the curve in cardiovascular disease exist, yet 71 percent of hypercholesterolemia patients at high risk of a cardiovascular event never achieve recommended LDL-C treatment guideline thresholds; and

WHEREAS, the LDL-C Action Summit, a consortium of the nation's leading cardiovascular stakeholder groups, seeks to cut cardiovascular events in half by 2030; and

WHEREAS, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Million Hearts program seeks to improve access and quality of care to reduce heart disease, stroke, and death; and

WHEREAS, all are encouraged to know their LDL-C level; and

WHEREAS, the United States Department of Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health recognizes April as National Minority Health Month; and

WHEREAS, the Georgia Department of Health is urged to update the state's cardiovascular plan to accelerate quality improvements and measures to achieve improved health outcomes for cardiovascular disease patients and develop campaigns to increase cholesterol screening during the month of April; and

WHEREAS, providers are urged to treat all cardiovascular disease patients in accordance with American College of Cardiology treatment guidelines.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES that the members of this body recognize April 2025 as Minority Health Month to encourage cholesterol screening.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Clerk of the House of Representatives is authorized and directed to make appropriate copies of this resolution available for distribution to the public and the press.