Dear Honorable Chairs and Ranking Members:
The 33 undersigned member organizations of the National Coalition for Heart and Stroke
Research urge Congress to support the fight against heart disease, stroke, and other forms of
cardiovascular disease (CVD). With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, individuals with
underlying heart disease and stroke risk factors including hypertension and obesity have faced
more life-threatening complications and a substantially higher risk of death. Those with postacute COVID-19 or “long haulers” have also developed serious conditions such as heart failure,
myocarditis, and stroke. Just as concerning, patients are increasingly reporting neurological
symptoms, including headaches, fatigue, sleep disorders, and cognitive problems, such as
difficulty with memory and concentration. To help reduce the prevalence of heart disease and
stroke and to prevent adverse outcomes from COVID-19, our coalition recommends the
following allocations in the FY 2022 Labor, HHS, Education Appropriations bill.
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