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CHELATION DOES NOT PREVENT HEART ATTACKS
Some doctors think that they can prevent heart attacks by administering chelation therapy, but a review of studies by scientists from Exeter University in England fails to find controlled studies showing that chelation therapy prevents heart attacks.
Arteriosclerotic plaques that block arteries can be seen on X-rays as large blobs of calcium inside the arteries themselves. Some doctors feel that injecting a chemical called EDTA, that binds to calcium, would remove calcium and clean out the plaques also. It is reasonable to have a theory, but proponents of chelation therapy must prove that it works. They need to take people with blocked arteries and inject some with EDTA, and others with placebo. Only two studies have done this and both fail to show that chelation therapy removes plaques and helps to prevent heart attacks. This does not mean that chelation therapy is ineffective, it means that there is no evidence whatever to show that chelation therapy prevents heart attacks.
E Ernst. Chelation therapy for coronary heart disease: An overview of all clinical investigations. American Heart Journal, 2000, Vol 140, Iss 1, pp 139-141.Address Ernst E, Univ Exeter, Sch Postgrad Med & Hlth Sci, Dept Complementary Med, 25 Victoria Pk Rd, Exeter EX2 4NT, Devon, ENGLAND
Checked 8/31/05