ACR 47, as introduced, Skinner. Commotio Cordis Awareness Week.
This measure would declare the week of June 1, 2013, to June 7, 2013, as Commotio Cordis Awareness Week and encourage all Californians, particularly young athletes, their families, coaches, school and youth sports league officials, and medical personnel, to learn about the risks of, and treatments for, commotio cordis.
Fiscal committee: no.
P1 1WHEREAS, Commotio cordis is a rare and potentially fatal
2cardiac arrhythmia that occurs when there is a sudden, often
3seemingly innocuous, blow to the chest that disrupts the electrical
4rhythm of an otherwise healthy heart; and
5WHEREAS, Commotio cordis occurs most often during sports,
6when athletes are at risk of being struck in the chest by a firm
7projectile, such as a baseball, softball, lacrosse ball, hockey puck,
8or soccer ball, or by another athlete, as in football, martial arts, or
9cheerleading; and
10WHEREAS, Commotio cordis disproportionately affects
11children and young adults, and it is one of the leading causes of
12sudden cardiac death among young athletes. The average age of
P2 1those affected is 16 years, and 90 percent of those affected are
2under 25 years of age; and
3WHEREAS, There have been 250 reported cases of death from
4commotio cordis in the United States in the past 16 years, which
5is more than the total number of deaths from all sports-related head
6injuries; and
7WHEREAS, The risk of commotio cordis can be reduced
8through simple interventions, including (1) education on avoiding
9direct blows to the breastbone, (2) improved recognition and
10prompt resuscitation with cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)
11and an automated external defibrillator (AED), and (3) increased
12availability of AEDs and medical personnel, including certified
13athletic trainers at youth sporting venues; and
14WHEREAS, If an electrical shock from an AED is delivered to
15someone having a commotio cordis attack within three minutes,
16there is a 40 percent chance of survival, but if use of an AED is
17delayed more than three minutes, the survival rate drops to 5
18percent; and
19WHEREAS, Commotio cordis was first identified as a cause of
20sudden death in 1932, and the survival rate has increased
21dramatically with growing public awareness and improved safety
22measures. A comprehensive study revealed that while only 10
23percent of patients survived from 1970 to 1993, 35 percent survived
24between 1994 and 2012, and in the last six years, 58 percent of
25patients have survived commotio cordis events; and
26WHEREAS, Public awareness of this condition remains
27relatively low, which leads to delayed management and a higher
28incidence of deaths; now, therefore, be it
29Resolved by the Assembly of the State of California, the Senate
30thereof concurring, That the Legislature hereby declares the week
31of June 1, 2013, to June 7, 2013, to be Commotio Cordis
32Awareness Week and encourages all Californians, and particularly
33young athletes, their families, coaches, school and youth sports
34league officials, and medical personnel, to learn about the risks
35of, and treatments for, commotio cordis; and be it further
36Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies
37of this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.
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