Impact of Dietary Patterns and Interventions on Cardiovascular Health

D ietary recommendations are a key element in the man- agement of cardiovascular disease. Evidence is mounting that certain dietary patterns can influence cardiovascular health by modifying risk factors such as obesity, dyslipidemia, and hypertension, as well as factors involved in systemic inflammation, insulin sensitivity, oxidative stress, endothelial function, thrombosis, and cardiac rhythm. In recent years, numerous dietary fads have emerged, in part as a response to the rising prevalence of obesity in the United States. In the present study, we review the various dietary portfolios that have emerged in the literature and the major studies that investigated their effectiveness in modifying cardiovascular risk.