Editorial: The cardiovascular disease epidemic: global, regional, local. Trop Med Int Health. 2002; 7(9

The challenge of the cardiovascular disease epidemic is not whether it will occur at all in the developing countries but whether we respond in time to telescope the transition and avoid the huge burden in young and middle age adults. The question is not whether we can afford to invest in cardiovascular disease prevention in the developing countries, but whether we can afford not to (Ruth Bonita). This statement by the director for the surveillance of non-communicable diseases at the World Health Organization (WHO) forcefully summarizes critical issues related to cardiovascular disease (CVD) in developing countries: the upsurge of the CVD epidemic and the need for an urgent response to prevent an impending additional burden that can hardly be afforded by low and middle-income countrie