STATE OF MAINE
_____
IN THE YEAR OF OUR LORD
TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-FOUR
_____
JOINT RESOLUTION DESIGNATING FEBRUARY 28, 2024 AS
HYPERTROPHIC CARDIOMYOPATHY AWARENESS DAY
WHEREAS, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is a chronic cardiac disease involving
thickening of the heart muscle and can potentially lead to debilitating symptoms and serious
complications, including heart failure, atrial fibrillation, stroke and, in rare cases, sudden
cardiac death; and
WHEREAS, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is the most common inheritable heart disease
and can affect anyone regardless of age, gender or ethnicity, with a reported prevalence ranging
from 1 in 200 to 1 in 500 in the general population; and
WHEREAS, an estimated 700,000 to 1,650,000 people in the United States have
hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, yet 85% of them may remain undiagnosed; and
WHEREAS, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy shares symptoms, such as shortness of breath,
chest pain, fatigue, palpitations and fainting, with other common cardiovascular and pulmonary
diseases, making it difficult to distinguish hypertrophic cardiomyopathy from these other
diseases; and
WHEREAS, the all-cause mortality risk is 3 to 4 times higher in persons with untreated
hypertrophic cardiomyopathy than in the general population; and
WHEREAS, knowing a patient's medical history and any signs and symptoms of
hypertrophic cardiomyopathy that the patient is experiencing is an important first step in
accurately diagnosing hypertrophic cardiomyopathy; and
WHEREAS, a health care provider must conduct a thorough screening with cardiac health
questions to help calculate a patient's risk of genetic and congenital cardiac disorders; and
WHEREAS, a health care provider may conduct several tests, including an
echocardiogram, a cardiac magnetic resonance imaging test or genetic testing, to confirm a
family history of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and must examine the patient's heart to
correctly diagnose hypertrophic cardiomyopathy; and
WHEREAS, following a diagnosis of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, it is important for
patients to work with their health care providers to learn more about the disease and understand
different management options, including prescription medicines and surgical treatments; and
WHEREAS, the 4th Wednesday in February has been designated Hypertrophic
Cardiomyopathy Awareness Day by the Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Association; now,
therefore, be it
RESOLVED: That We, the Members of the One Hundred and Thirty-first Legislature now
assembled in the Second Regular Session, on behalf of the people we represent, take this
opportunity to designate February 28, 2024 as Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Awareness Day,
to acknowledge the critical importance of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy awareness in
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improving cardiovascular health in the State and to express our support for raising awareness
of undiagnosed and untreated hypertrophic cardiomyopathy as a serious public health issue and
the need to seek appropriate care for patients suffering from hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.
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