H*4062 Resolution, By Henderson, Alexander, Allison, Anderson, Anthony, Atwater, 
Bales, Ballentine, Bamberg, Bannister, Bedingfield, Bernstein, Bingham, Bowers, 
Bradley, Brannon, G.A. Brown, R.L. Brown, Burns, Chumley, Clary, Clemmons, 
Clyburn, Cobb-Hunter, Cole, Collins, Corley, H.A. Crawford, Crosby, Daning, 
Delleney, Dillard, Douglas, Duckworth, Erickson, Felder, Finlay, Forrester, 
Funderburk, Gagnon, Gambrell, George, Gilliard, Goldfinch, Govan, Hamilton, 
Hardee, Hardwick, Hart, Hayes, Henegan, Herbkersman, Hicks, Hill, Hiott, Hixon, 
Hodges, Horne, Hosey, Howard, Huggins, Jefferson, Johnson, Jordan, Kennedy, 
King, Kirby, Knight, Limehouse, Loftis, Long, Lowe, Lucas, Mack, McCoy, 
McEachern, McKnight, M.S. McLeod, W.J. McLeod, Merrill, Mitchell, D.C. Moss, 
V.S. Moss, Murphy, Nanney, Neal, Newton, Norman, Norrell, Ott, Parks, Pitts, 
Pope, Putnam, Quinn, Ridgeway, Riley, Rivers, Robinson-Simpson, Rutherford, 
Ryhal, Sandifer, Simrill, G.M. Smith, G.R. Smith, J.E. Smith, Sottile, Southard, 
Spires, Stavrinakis, Stringer, Tallon, Taylor, Thayer, Tinkler, Toole, Weeks, 
Wells, Whipper, White, Whitmire, Williams, Willis and Yow
 A HOUSE RESOLUTION TO RAISE AWARENESS ABOUT THE RISKS OF ATRIAL FIBRILLATION
 FOR THOSE WHO SUFFER FROM IT AND ABOUT THE AVAILABILITY OF TREATMENT AND TO
 DECLARE MAY 27, 2015, AS "ATRIAL FIBRILLATION DAY" IN THE STATE OF SOUTH
 CAROLINA.

   04/28/15  House  Introduced and adopted (House Journal-page 4)

TO RAISE AWARENESS ABOUT THE RISKS OF ATRIAL FIBRILLATION FOR THOSE WHO SUFFER FROM IT AND ABOUT THE AVAILABILITY OF TREATMENT AND TO DECLARE MAY 27, 2015, AS "ATRIAL FIBRILLATION DAY" IN THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA.

Whereas, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirms that atrial fibrillation (AFib) is the most common type of arrhythmia, an abnormal heart rhythm; and

Whereas, when the electrical activity of the heart is disorganized, atrial fibrillation and other arrhythmias occur, causing an irregular heartbeat that disrupts the flow of blood through the heart; and

Whereas, advanced age, diabetes, heart disease, heart failure, high blood pressure, and hyperthyroidism are contributing factors for atrial fibrillation; and

Whereas, nonvalvular atrial fibrillation causes approximately ninety-five percent of AFib and affects an estimated 5.8 million people across the United States; and

Whereas, the fourth leading cause of death in the United States and in South Carolina, strokes result in death for one person in the United States every four minutes; and

Whereas, those with AFib have five times the risk of a stroke than those without it, and fifteen to twenty percent of all people who have strokes also have atrial fibrillation; and

Whereas, modifiable lifestyle behaviors that can reduce the risk of stroke include physical activity, avoiding tobacco use, a healthy diet, moderation in alcohol consumption, and regularly checking cholesterol levels and blood pressure; and

Whereas, stroke is a leading cause of serious, long-term disability in the United States, and stroke survivors are more likely to become disabled and experience difficulties with daily living and activities; and

Whereas, according to the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC), African Americans are more than forty-six percent more likely to die from stroke than Caucasians in South Carolina; and

Whereas, studies suggest that Hispanics have a higher rate of hemorrhagic strokes at a younger age than Caucasians, and stroke is the fourth leading cause of death among Hispanics; and

Whereas, the hospitalization cost alone of stroke in South Carolina in 2012 totaled $638 million, and the total cost of stroke in the United States in 2009 was estimated at $38.6 billion; and

Whereas, a serious health issue, AFib deserves the attention of state health officials, increased community awareness of the condition and its complications, and encouragement for people suffering from AFib to seek life-saving treatment. Now, therefore,

Be it resolved by the House of Representatives:

That the members of the House of Representatives, by this resolution, raise awareness about the risks of atrial fibrillation for those who suffer from it and about the availability of treatment and declare May 27, 2015, as "Atrial Fibrillation Day" in the State of South Carolina.