House passes bill to fight valvular heart disease, honor GOP lawmaker’s late wife

The House has passed a bill to fight valvular heart disease, in a move honoring the late wife of Republican Rep. Andy Barr (Ky.).

The Cardiovascular Advances in Research and Opportunities Legacy (CAROL) Act was passed unanimously.

Eleanor “Carol” Leavell Barr suddenly died from valvular heart disease in 2020 when she was just 39 years old.

Her illness, called mitral valve prolapse (MVP), is a benign condition with only 0.2 percent of cases ending in a sudden cardiac death.

Barr introduced the act, which makes investments for research into the heart disease, back in February.

“With today’s vote, we are one step closer to pushing the CAROL Act across the finish line and enshrining Carol Barr’s legacy,” Barr said.

“This bill delivers critical resources to close the gaps in understanding about valvular heart disease and save lives. I am grateful to the American Heart Association, WomenHeart, the American College of Cardiology and so many of my colleagues who supported this bill from the start,” he added.

Along with investments into research for valvular heart disease, the bill will bring experts together to develop guidelines to treat patients with MVP and tells the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to raise more awareness around the illness.

Valvular heart disease kills 25,000 Americans each year, mostly young women.