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Senate Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
Senate of Pennsylvania
Session of 2019 - 2020
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | November 17, 2019 08:06 PM |
|---|---|
| From: | Senator Patrick M. Browne |
| To: | All Senate members |
| Subject: | Resolution designating November 2019 as "Diabetes Month" in Pennsylvania |
| In the near future, I intend to introduce a resolution designating November 2019 as “National Diabetes Month” in Pennsylvania. This year's theme for National Diabetes Month is "Take Diabetes to Heart: Linking Diabetes and Cardiovascular Disease." For those who've been diagnosed, having diabetes means you are more likely to develop heart disease and to have a greater chance of a heart attack or a stroke. The blood vessels and nerves that control your heart can be damaged over time as a result of high blood glucose from diabetes. Adults with diabetes are nearly twice as likely to die from heart disease or stroke as people without diabetes. However, by managing your A1C levels; blood pressure and cholesterol; developing healthy lifestyle habits; learning to manage stress; correctly taking medications and stopping smoking or using other tobacco products; all can help lower an individual’s chances of having a heart attack or stroke. Pennsylvania has a diabetes epidemic - with approximately 1.5 million people living with diabetes and an estimated 325,000 Pennsylvanians undiagnosed. In addition, 3.5 million people in Pennsylvania have prediabetes with blood glucose levels higher than normal but not yet high enough to be diagnosed as diabetes. Every year an estimated 63,000 individuals are diagnosed in Pennsylvania with diabetes, including a dramatic increase in the incidence of type 1 diabetes. Sadly, diabetes is the 7th leading cause in death in Pennsylvania. Please join me in co-sponsoring this resolution to raise awareness, promote ongoing diabetes education and support those living with diabetes in Pennsylvania. |