1Designating the month of September 2014 as "Brain Aneurysm
2Awareness Month" in Pennsylvania.

3WHEREAS, A brain aneurysm is an abnormal or fusiform bulging
4of an artery in the brain; and

5WHEREAS, An estimated 1 out of every 50 people in the United
6States has a brain aneurysm; and

7WHEREAS, Brain aneurysms are most likely to occur in people
8between 35 and 60 years of age and there are typically no
9warning signs; and

10WHEREAS, Brain aneurysms are more likely to occur in women
11than in men by a three-to-two ratio; and

12WHEREAS, Young and middle-aged African Americans have a
13higher risk of brain aneurysm ruptures; and

14WHEREAS, Various risk factors can contribute to the formation
15of a brain aneurysm, including smoking, hypertension and a
16family history of brain aneurysms; and

17WHEREAS, Approximately 6 million people in the United States
18have a brain aneurysm; and

1WHEREAS, An unruptured brain aneurysm can lead to double
2vision, vision loss, loss of sensation, weakness, loss of
3balance, weakness, incoordination and speech problems; and

4WHEREAS, A brain aneurysm is often discovered when it
5ruptures and causes a subarachnoid hemorrhage; and

6WHEREAS, A subarachnoid hemorrhage can lead to brain damage,
7hydrocephalus, stroke and death; and

8WHEREAS, Each year more than 30,000 people in the United
9States suffer from ruptured brain aneurysms and 40% of these
10people die as a result; and

11WHEREAS, Annually, between 3,000 and 4,500 people in the
12United States with ruptured brain aneurysms die before reaching
13the hospital; and

14WHEREAS, A number of advancements have been made in recent
15years regarding the detection of aneurysms, including the
16computerized tomography (CT) scan, the magnetic resonance
17imaging (MRI) test and the cerebral arteriogram; and

18WHEREAS, Early detection of brain aneurysms can save lives;
19and

20WHEREAS, Various research studies are currently being
21conducted in the United States in order to better understand,
22prevent and treat brain aneurysms; therefore be it

23RESOLVED, That the Senate designate the month of September
242014 as "Brain Aneurysm Awareness Month" in Pennsylvania.