Chelation Therapy Jodie Baunsgard FSCN 547 Summer 2006

Chelation Therapy

Jodie BaunsgardFSCN 547

Summer 2006

Learning Objectives• What claims are being made about

chelation therapy?• What is chelation therapy commonly used

for?• How can chelation therapy be toxic?• Why is chelation therapy being used to

treat Coronary Artery Disease (CAD)?• What conclusions were made by the 2000

study made by University of Calgary?• What is the current TACT study hoping to

achieve in their 5-year study on chelation therapy?

What is Chelation Therapy?

• Chelation (KEE-LAY-SHUN) comes from the Greek word – “chele”- which means claw.

• “the use of a chelating agent to bind with a metal in the body to form a chelate so that the metal loses its toxic effect or physiological activity”

~Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary

What is Chelation Therapy?

• Chelation therapy is an investigational form of complementary or alternative therapy that uses the man-made amino acid, called EDTA (ethylene diamine tetra acetic acid).

• EDTA is administered via an IV.

www.fitchicago.com

Chelation- claw-like formation

www.mcdonaghmed.com/images/Chelation5.jpg

Common Uses of Chelation Therapy

• Chelation therapy has primarily been used as agent to detoxify heavy metals such as calcium, iron, magnesium, lead and zinc.

• EDTA binds to these metal ions because of its strong affinity for cations.

• The bound metal ions are then excreted in the urine.

Toxicities Related to Chelation Therapy

• chelation therapy must be used with supplementation of calcium

• There have been a few deaths recorded related to hypocalcemia as a result of chelation therapy-stroke- calcium facilitates the conversion of prothrombin - > thrombin

-heart attacks – calcium helps to regulate heartbeats

History of Chelation Therapy

• EDTA the chelation agent developed in Germany during WWII as a substitute for citric acid, because supplies were scarce.

• Brought to the US in 1947.• 1950s-Determined effective especially

with lead detoxification• 1960- current- toxicologists begin testing

chelation therapy with CAD patients

Claims of Chelation Therapy

Many claims…very little proof…• CAD

• Alzheimer’s Disease

• Neurodevelopment diseases related to toxic metals

• Autism Spectrum Disorder

Chelation Therapy and CAD

• Chelation Therapy and Coronary Artery Disease is a contemporary hot topic of much controversy in the medical realm.

• It is an investigational theory that is currently being tested to determine if chelation therapy can be used to remove plaque from coronary arteries.

How it possibly works to decrease CAD

• Atheromatous plaque is one of the leading causes of CAD.

• A major component of plaque is calcium.

• 3-Theories of plaque removal:– EDTA might break up atheromatous plaque.– EDTA may activate a hormone that sets

calcium free.– Chelation therapy may reduce oxidative

stress on walls of blood vessels.

Atherosclerotic Artery

www.mcdonaghmed.com

Criteria for Usage of Chelation Therapy with CAD

Patients using Chelation therapy must follow strict criteria:

• CAD must be in a stable state• Prior to treatment patient must have cardiac

function measured using a electrocardiogram ECG

• functioning kidney and liver• Normal blood count• No cancerous growth and no other infectious

immune compromising diseases • Need to have a nutrition screen done• Must continue regular CAD treatment with

physician

The Scientific Evidence

(3 Studies:1 Meta-analysis

2 studies)

Shrihari, JS, et al., Role of EDTA chelation therapy in cardiovascular diseases.

The National Medical Journal of India, (2006)19.

• Objective: To analyze data retrieved from various studies to determine the efficacy of chelation therapy on cardiovascular diseases.

• Study Design: This was a meta-analysis study of 7 other studies with usage of chelation therapy

• Subjects: Between 10 and 153 participants depending on study.



Authors (Year) Patient profileSample

sizeRandomizatio

n Blinding Results

Kitchell et al. 196314 CAD 28 Not described Double No benefits

Knudtson et al. 200215 CAD 84 Described Double No benefits

Anderson et al. 2003 CAD 53 Described Double No benefits

Olszewer et al. 1990 Peripheral AD 10 Not described Double* Improvement in walking

Sloth-Nielsen et al.1991 Peripheral VD 153 Described Double No benefits

Guldager et al.1992 Peripheral AD 153 Described Double No benefits

van Rij et al. 1994 IHD, PV 32 Described Double No benefits



• Meta-analysis conclusion:

-EDTA all with vitamins and minerals does not provide additional benefits in CAD.

-Further research needs to be done in order to use chelation therapy as a definitive therapeutic modality for CAD.

Chelation Therapy for the ischemic Heart Disease: A randomized controlled Trial

Division of Cardiology, University of Calgary and Calgary Regional Health Authority, Calgary, Alberta,

Canada.(2000) 287:4

• Objective: was to discern whether or not EDTA chelation therapy had a positive impact on an individual’s ability to exercise due to their ischemic heart, as well as measure their quality of life.

• Study Design: Double-blind, placebo controlled

• Subjects: 84 people, M/F, 21+, stable CAD and ability to walk on treadmill



Canada.(2000) 287:4

Treatment Types:• EDTA Chelation Therapy • Placebo 9% solution of NaCl

Outcome measures:• Exercise capacity on treadmill• Exercise time to ischemia• Quality of life measures



Canada.(2000) 287:4

Results of study:

• Similar results with both sets of participants

• No evidence to support the usage of chelation therapy on patients with CAD

Trial to Assess Chelation Therapy (TACT)National Center for Complementary and Alternative

Medicine, National Institute of HealthBethesda, Maryland, United States of America

(2002-2007)

Objective: To test the efficacy of Chelation Therapy on CAD patients

Study Design: Double-blind, Placebo controlled, multi-centered

Subjects: TACT is the largest trial to test the efficacy of Chelation Therapy

- 2372 participants- Must be receiving traditional treatment for CAD



(2002-2007)

• Treatment:-EDTA Chelation therapy or

-Placebo solution- All patients will receive a vitamin supplement

• Treatment regimen:-one a week for 30 weeks-after initial 30 treatments patients will have 10 more treatments, 2 weeks to 10 weeks apart-treatments last for 3 hours-Patients must continue standard heart treatments provided by individual physician



(2002-2007)

• Result of study:This study is currently be done! There aren’t any results yet!

• NIH and NCCAM: Hope to provide some evidence on the efficacy of chelation therapy, because this is the largest study ever done on chelation therapy.

Does it work?

• What’s your opinion?

Conclusion

• Chelation therapy has been used as a successful treatment for toxicities with minerals lead, magnesium, zinc, calcium and iron.

• Calcium is a major component of plaque that causes CAD.

• At this time it is difficult to find reasonable cause to support or deny the efficacy of chelation therapy on CAD.

ReferencesKnudtson, ML., et al., Chelation Therapy for Ischemic Heart Disease:

A randomized Controlled Trial. JAMA, 2002; 287, 4; 481-486.http://proquest.umi.com/Retrieved: 7/5/06

Mahan, L K., Escott-Stump, S. Krause’s Food Nutrition and Diet Therapy, 11th ed. Philidelphia: Saunders, 2004.

Nash, RA., Metals in Medicine. Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine,2005;11, 4; 18-26.http://proquest.umi.com/Retrieved: 6/26/06

National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, National Institute of Health. Learn More About Chelation Therapy and the Study, 2006.http://nccam.nih/gov/chelation/chelationstudy.htmRetrieved: 6/23/06

Shrihari, JS, et al., Role of EDTA chelation therapy in cardiovascular diseases.The National Medical Journal of India, 2006;19.http://www.nmji/archivesRetrieved: 7/5/06

http://proquest.umi.com/






http://nccam.nih/gov/chelation/chelationstudy.htm

http://nccam.nih/gov/chelation/chelationstudy.htm

http://www.nmji/archives



Chelation Therapy

The End!

Documents

Chelation Therapy Jodie Baunsgard FSCN 547 Summer 2006