,,iv  #aafth ,,congress  #b;d ,session  
,h4 ,,res4 #hgd  ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of
 ,,representatives  ,february #bg1      
#bjbj,mrs4 ,beatty submitted the        
following resolution2 which was referred
 to the ,committee on ,energy and       
,commerce  ,,resolution  ,expressing    
support for the annual ,heart ,valve    
,disease ,awareness ,day on ,february   
#bb1 #bjbj1 coinciding with ,american   
,heart ,month4  ,whereas as many as     
#aa1fjj1jjj people in the ,united       
,states have heart valve disease1 which 
involves damage to one or more of the   
heart's valves and can reduce blood     
flow1 causing the heart to work harder  
and the body to get less oxygen2        
,whereas around #be1jjj people in the   
,united ,states die from heart valve    
disease every year2 ,whereas more than  
#a in #aj people age #ge and older are  
estimated to have moderate to severe    
valve disease2 ,whereas if not treated1 
some forms of heart valve disease can   
lead to major health problems including 

decreased mobility1 disability1 loss of 
independence1 heart failure1 stroke1    
blood clotting1 or even death2 ,whereas 
when aortic stenosis1 a common form of  
valve disease1 becomes severe1 the      
average survival rate without surgical  
intervention is as low as #ej percent at
 #b years after the onset of symptoms   
and #bj percent at #e years after such  
onset2 ,whereas symptoms of heart valve 
disease such as shortness of breath1    
excessive fatigue1 and fainting are     
often dismissed as normal aspects of    
aging2 ,whereas people are at higher    
risk of developing heart valve disease  
if they have high blood pressure1 high  
cholesterol1 insulin resistance1        
diabetes1 coronary heart disease1 a     
congenital heart abnormality or family  
history of valve disease1 a history of  
heart problems like heart attack or     
heart failure1 rheumatic fever or       
infective endocarditis1 or previous     
valve disease2 ,whereas people are also 
at higher risk of developing heart valve

 disease if they are a smoker1          
overweight or obese1 get little physical
 activity or exercise1 or are older in  
age2 ,whereas heart valve disease1 with 
proper education and awareness1 can     
often be detected through a simple      
physical exam and treated with either   
valve repair or valve replacement2 and  
,whereas ,february #bb1 #bjbj1 is the   
designated day to observe ,national     
,heart ,valve ,disease ,awareness ,day3 
,now1 therefore1 be it ,that the ,house 
of ,representatives supports-- 7#a7 the 
goals of ,national ,heart ,valve        
,disease ,awareness ,day2  7#b7         
increasing recognition of the specific  
risks and symptoms of heart valve       
disease2 and  7#c7 improving detection  
and treatment of heart valve disease4