Cardiovascular disease and global health equity: lessons from tuberculosis control then and now.

Early 20th-century cardiovascular voluntary organizations in the United States drew strength from the well-established antituberculosis movement. By mid-century, heart disease among the young and tuberculosis had declined in this country. The international fight against tuberculosis has gathered force since the 1990s. Meanwhile, support for international cardiovascular interventions has lagged behind. We trace the divergent path of the international cardiovascular movement and suggest ways in which it could once again learn from the trials and achievements of tuberculosis control.