SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 58
(By Senators Snyder,
Unger, Ross, Mitchell, Hunter, Burnette,
Redd, Caldwell, Rowe, Sharpe, Minard, Kessler, Edgell, Fanning,
Prezioso, McCabe, Anderson, Bailey, Plymale, Jackson, Chafin and
Tomblin, Mr. President)
Endorsing "National Heart Failure Awareness Week".
Whereas, Medical providers of this state are urged to adopt
the guidelines published by the Heart Failure Society of America,
Inc., which include administering and providing reimbursement for
echocardiograms to all patients with a history of heart disease who
are over fifty years of age. Heart Failure Society of America,
Inc., further urges medical providers to prescribe or provide
reimbursement for the standard of care for congestive heart
failure, including FDA-approved beta blockers and ACE inhibitors,
as well as other therapies which have been shown to reduce the
mortality and morbidity associated with congestive heart failure;
and
Whereas, Congestive heart failure is a major public health
problem that affects 5 million Americans and 550,000 new cases of
congestive heart failure are diagnosed in this nation each year, with 200,000 resulting in death, as well as one million requiring
hospitalization; and
Whereas, Congestive heart failure is the leading cause of
hospitalization in patients over sixty-five and patients with the
most severe symptoms have approximately a 50-percent survival rate,
while half the patients diagnosed with what is considered to be
mild heart disease die within five years of diagnosis; and
Whereas, The vast majority of afflicted persons are not
diagnosed until late in the course of the disease when permanent,
irreparable damage has occurred; and
Whereas, A conservative estimate of the annual cost associated
with the medical treatment for congestive heart failure cases in
this country is no less than $8 billion; and
Whereas, Although current treatment guidelines recommend that
80 percent of heart failure patients receive ACE inhibitors in
combination with beta blockers to extend life and reduce costly
hospitalizations, only 45 percent of patients are actually treated
with ACE inhibitors and only 20 percent of patients receive beta
blockers; and
Whereas, The primary goals of "National Heart Failure
Awareness Week" are to: (1) Promote research related to all aspects of heart failure and provide a forum for presentation of
that research; (2) educate heart failure caregivers and patients
through programs, publications and other media allowing for more
effective treatment and diagnosis of heart failure; and (3) enhance
the quality and duration of life for those with heart failure;
therefore, be it
Resolved by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That the Legislature hereby endorses the national proclamation
of "National Heart Failure Awareness Week"; and, be it
Further Resolved, That medical providers of this state are
urged to adopt the guidelines published by the Heart Failure
Society of America, Inc., including administering and providing
reimbursement for echocardiograms to all patients with a history of
heart disease who are over fifty years of age and to further
prescribe or provide reimbursement for the standard of care for
congestive heart failure, including FDA-approved beta blockers and
ACE inhibitors, as well as other therapies that have been shown to
reduce the mortality and morbidity associated with congestive heart
failure; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the Secretary of the Department of
Health and Human Resources transmit the treatment guidelines for congestive heart failure published by the Heart Failure Society of
America, Inc.; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the Clerk of the Senate is hereby
directed to forward a copy of this resolution to the local offices
of the American Medical Association.