SJR9 Summary

• Designates February 2022 as American Heart Month in the State of Alabama to recognize the ongoing fight against cardiovascular disease.

• Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, with heart disease deaths increasing 4.8 percent from 2019 to 2020 and stroke deaths increasing 6 percent in the same period.

• Cardiovascular disease accounted for $555 billion in health care expenditures and lost productivity in 2015, projected to reach $1.09 trillion annually by 2035.

• Cardiovascular diseases are the number one killer of women in the United States and the leading cause of maternal death, with Black and Hispanic women disproportionately impacted by heart disease and stroke.

• Urges Alabama citizens to increase awareness about heart disease, speak out against it, and empower others to reduce cardiovascular disease risk through commemoration of American Heart Month.