Major Study Positive on Chelation Therapy for Heart Disease

Nov. 5, 2012 - PRLog -- Los Angeles, CA: Chelation therapy for heart and vascular disease is an exciting but controversial alternative therapy that has been shown to be safe and statistically effective by TACT (the Trial to Assess Chelation Therapy).

TACT is a 7-year study funded by the NIH and carried out by university cardiologists and experienced chelation physicians from around the United States.  This randomized, double-blind study compared patients who were treated with medications with intravenous chelation therapy to those with medications but without chelation. The study showed potentially important improvement in patients who had previous heart attacks and were already under cardiology treatment, especially those patients with diabetes. The group treated with chelation had fewer subsequent surgeries than those who received a placebo.  The findings were unexpected, and additional research needed to explain mechanisms.

The results of this 1700-patient study were presented at the American Heart Association meeting November 4, 2012 in Los Angeles.

Chelation, from the Greek word “chele” meaning claw, implies that an organic molecule binds a cation (charged mineral) in a pincer-like fashion, forming a heterocyclic ring structure. The most widely accepted use of chelation therapy is for the removal of toxic minerals such as lead from the body. A more controversial indication, discovered serendipitously during treatment of patients suffering with lead toxicity, involving the use of the chelating agent disodium ethylene diaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), is in the treatment of all forms of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.

EDTA chelation therapy for heart and vascular disease is an alternative therapy that has been utilized for 60 years.  Many smaller studies and papers have been published in the past.

Wendy Chappell
Executive Director
International College of Integrative Medicine

Contact: Wendy Chappell, Executive Director wendy@icimed.com