These are some recent scientific articles that examine vegetarian diets’ role in the prevention and treatment of heart disease. Note: This is not a comprehensive listing.

Craig WJ.
Nutr Clin Pract . 2010 Dec;25(6):613-20.
Health effects of vegan diets.

Craig WJ.
Am J Clin Nutr . 2009 May;89(5):1627S-1633S. Epub 2009 Mar 11. Review.
Position of the American Dietetic Association: vegetarian diets.

Craig WJ, Mangels AR; American Dietetic Association.
J Am Diet Assoc . 2009 Jul;109(7):1266-82.
Vegetarian diets: what do we know of their effects on common chronic diseases?

Fraser GE.
Am J Clin Nutr . 2009 May;89(5):1607S-1612S. Epub 2009 Mar 25. Review.

Erratum in: Am J Clin Nutr. 2009 Jul;90(1):248.
Health effects of vegetarian and vegan diets.

Key TJ, Appleby PN, Rosell MS.
Proc Nutr Soc . 2006 Feb;65(1):35-41. Review.
Effects of plant-based diets on plasma lipids.

Ferdowsian HR, Barnard ND.
Am J Cardiol . 2009 Oct 1;104(7):947-56. Review.
These are some research articles on vegetarian diets in treatment of heart disease/high cholesterol: Intensive lifestyle changes for reversal of coronary heart disease.

Ornish D, Scherwitz LW, Billings JH, Brown SE, Gould KL, Merritt TA, Sparler S, Armstrong WT, Ports TA, Kirkeeide RL, Hogeboom C, Brand RJ.
JAMA . 1998 Dec 16;280(23):2001-7. Erratum in: JAMA 1999 Apr 21;281(15):1380.

The contribution of changes in diet, exercise, and stress management to changes in coronary risk in women and men in the multisite cardiac lifestyle intervention program.

Daubenmier JJ, Weidner G, Sumner MD, Mendell N, Merritt-Worden T, Studley J, Ornish D.
Ann Behav Med . 2007 Fe b;33(1):57-68.
The portfolio diet for cardiovascular risk reduction.

Jenkins DJ, Josse AR, Wong JM, Nguyen TH, Kendall CW.
Curr Atheroscler Rep . 2007 Dec;9(6):501-7.
Effect of plant sterols in combination with other cholesterol-lowering foods.

Jenkins DJ, Kendall CW, Nguyen TH, Marchie A, Faulkner DA, Ireland C, Josse AR, Vidgen E, Trautwein EA, Lapsley KG, Holmes C, Josse RG, Leiter LA, Connelly PW, Singer W.
Metabolism . 2008 Jan;57(1):130-9.
A dietary portfolio: maximal reduction of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol with diet.

Kendall CW, Jenkins DJ.
Curr Atheroscler Rep . 2004 Nov;6(6):492-8.
Assessment of the longer-term effects of a dietary portfolio of cholesterol-lowering foods in hypercholesterolemia.

Jenkins DJ, Kendall CW, Faulkner DA, Nguyen T, Kemp T, Marchie A, Wong JM, de Souza R, Emam A, Vidgen E, Trautwein EA, Lapsley KG, Holmes C, Josse RG, Leiter LA, Connelly PW, Singer W.
Am J Clin Nutr . 2006 Mar;83(3):582-91.
Direct comparison of a dietary portfolio of cholesterol-lowering foods with a statin in hypercholesterolemic participants.

Jenkins DJ, Kendall CW, Marchie A, Faulkner DA, Wong JM, de Souza R, Emam A, Parker TL, Vidgen E, Trautwein EA, Lapsley KG, Josse RG, Leiter LA, Singer W, Connelly PW.
Am J Clin Nutr . 2005 Feb;81(2):380-7.
A dietary portfolio approach to cholesterol reduction: combined effects of plant sterols, vegetable proteins, and viscous fibers in hypercholesterolemia.

Jenkins DJ, Kendall CW, Faulkner D, Vidgen E, Trautwein EA, Parker TL,
Marchie A, Koumbridis G, Lapsley KG, Josse RG, Leiter LA, Connelly PW.
Metabolism . 2002 Dec;51(12):1596-604.