CHELATION THERAPY FOR BLOCKED ARTERIES

Report #7253

The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Saskatchewan recently agreed to allow physicians to administer chelation therapy, even though there is no good scientific evidence that it unblocks clogged arteries.

In chelation therapy, doctors inject a chemical called EDTA, into the veins of people with arteriosclerosis in the hope that it will dissolve the fatty plaques that block arteries. The theory appears reasonable. X rays of the arteries of people with arteriosclerosis show dense calcium deposits in fatty plaques. Doctors who use chelation therapy/ feel that they can remove the calcium by injecting EDTA, a chemical that binds to calcium. They feel that removing calcium can help remove plaques. However, calcium is the result of damage to arteries, not the cause, so removing calcium has not been shown to remove plaques. A football player may bleed into his thigh after being hit there. X rays taken several months later will often show calcium deposits. The calcium formed as a result of the trauma, it was not a cause.

There are no hard scientific controlled studies to show that chelation therapy prevents heart attacks. On the other hand, several studies show little or no benefit.

By Gabe Mirkin, M.D., for CBS Radio News