Chelation Heart Therapy or Treatment

What is the background of chelation heart treatment or therapy? Is it safe? Does it work?

Because heart disease (the deterioration of the cardiovascular system that is responsible for heart attacks and several other incidents) is quite prevalent in American society, many people have become interested in the possible benefits of chelation therapy for those struggling with it.

Chelation therapy is a recognized treatment for heavy metal poisoning, as it binds to the metals and aids with their removal from the body. This process occurs via EDTA injection into the blood. The American Heart Association emphasizes that although chelation therapy is sometimes used for the treatment of heart disease, it is not approved by the FDA for use in this capacity.

Research into Chelation Heart Therapy or Treatment

The American Heart Association also emphasizes the fact that there has not been adequate research on the use of chelation heart therapy as a component of cardiovascular health, a viewpoint that is shared by the United States Food and Drug Administration, the National Institutes of Health, and the American College of Cardiology.

The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine and the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, announced the launch of the Trial to Assess Chelation Therapy (TACT) in August 2002. This study is notable due to the fact that it is the first large-scale, multi-faceted examination of chelation therapy in reference to the safety of its use for individuals with coronary heart disease, as well as its effectiveness in treating this disease.

Risks

Because of the risks associated with chelation therapy, several institutions felt that it was important to the public health that this treatment be investigated further. Not only is there a risk of relatively severe complications, but the concern for many healthcare professionals is that with something as serious as heart disease, the decision to treat with chelation therapy despite the lack of evidence on its effectiveness could result in rather significant problems for the individual - namely the worsening of their condition.

It would be quite unfortunate for individuals with heart disease to choose to participate in chelation heart therapy in place of treatments of which the effectiveness has been proven.

How Chelation Heart Therapy Works

The mechanism of action of chelation therapy when being used to treat heart disease is thought to be that it targets the arteriosclerosis that creates cardiovascular problems initially. Arteriosclerosis is the hardening of arteries due to plaque build-up that is deposited upon the interior walls of the blood vessels over a number of years.

One of the major components of plaque is calcium, which readily bonds with the chelating agent that is used in cardiovascular chelation, thereby "pulling" it from the artery walls. Over time, it is thought that this could be a uniquely effective way of dealing with the issues that underlie heart disease and the grouping of symptoms with which it is associated.

Conclusion

Medical disagreements notwithstanding - as there has been a multi-decade battle between proponents and opponents of chelation heart therapy for cardiovascular issues - many individuals espouse a firm belief in the role of chelation in their positive health outcome.

However, because of the risk presented by introducing a compound (i.e. chelating agent) intravenously, it is important to be aware of the circumstances surrounding this therapy and to discuss the choice to engage in it with a qualified professional. As time goes on, the amount of research on chelation is likely to increase and clarify the merit of this innovative procedure.

Click here for more pages and articles on Chelation.

Some Related Chelation Pages
Not All Chelation Treatments Are Created Equal - Overview of Chelation Therapy
Natural Chelation - Nature's Own Chelation Therapy

Chelation Heart Therapy or Treatment
Mercury Chelation - Detoxifying the Body