Assembly Resolution No. 876

BY: M. of A. Murray

MEMORIALIZING Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim
March 2018, as Deep Vein Thrombosis Awareness Month
in the State of New York

WHEREAS, The State of New York takes great pride in participating in
months of awareness of important health issues; and

WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to memorialize
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim March 2018, as Deep Vein Thrombosis
Awareness Month in the State of New York; and

WHEREAS, A national public health crisis, deep vein thrombosis
affects about two million Americans annually, and up to 600,000 people
in the United States are hospitalized each year; and

WHEREAS, Commonly referred to as DVT, deep vein thrombosis occurs
when a blood clot develops in a deep vein, usually in the lower limbs; a
complication, pulmonary embolism, may occur when a fragment of a blood
clot breaks loose from the wall of the vein, migrates to the lungs and
blocks a pulmonary artery or one of its branches; and

WHEREAS, Symptoms of deep vein thrombosis may include pain,
swelling, tenderness, discoloration or redness of the affected area, and
skin that is warm to the touch; however, as many as half of all episodes
produce minimal symptoms or are completely "silent"; and

WHEREAS, Because a number of other conditions, including muscle
strains, skin infections, and phlebitis display symptoms similar to
those of deep vein thrombosis, the condition may be difficult to
diagnose without specific tests; and

WHEREAS, Deep vein thrombosis is generally caused by a combination
of two or three underlying conditions: slow or sluggish blood flow
through a deep vein, a tendency for a person's blood to clot quickly
and/or irritation or inflammation of the inner lining of the vein; and

WHEREAS, There are a variety of settings in which deep vein
thrombosis can occur; individuals on bed rest or confined and unable to
walk are highly susceptible, as well as those who have a family history
or specific medical conditions, including congestive heart failure,
severe obesity, chronic respiratory failure, a history of smoking,
varicose veins, pregnancy and estrogen treatment; and

WHEREAS, According to a U.S. multi-center study, only one-third of
hospitalized patients with risk factors for blood clots received
preventive treatment; without preventive treatment, up to 60 percent of
patients who undergo total hip replacement surgery may develop deep vein
thrombosis; and

WHEREAS, Cancer patients undergoing surgical procedures have at
least twice the risk of postoperative deep vein thrombosis and more than
three times the risk of fatal pulmonary embolism as non-cancer patients
undergoing similar procedures; and


WHEREAS, In the elderly, deep vein thrombosis is associated with a
21 percent one-year mortality rate, and pulmonary embolism is associated
with a 39 percent one-year mortality rate; and

WHEREAS, Furthermore, pulmonary embolism is the leading cause of
maternal death associated with childbirth; a woman's risk of developing
a vein thrombosis embolism is six times greater when she is pregnant;
and

WHEREAS, Of those who develop pulmonary embolism, up to 300,000 will
die each year; possibly the most common preventable cause of hospital
death in the United States, more people die from it than from breast
cancer and AIDS combined; and

WHEREAS, It is in the interest of New York State to recognize the
achievements made and to continue these efforts by promoting the
awareness and fostering the understanding of deep vein thrombosis; now,
therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
memorialize Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim March 2018, as Deep
Vein Thrombosis Awareness Month in the State of New York; and be it
further

RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to The Honorable Andrew M. Cuomo, Governor of the State of
New York.