Chelation therapy?

1. Has anyone out there ever been through chelation therapy (or assisted in the process)? Specifically as an alternative treatment for artheriosclerotic cardiovascular disease? If so, what drug regimen was used, IV or PO, and was it effective? I have always believed that medical intervention is always better than surgical, if at all possible. So thank you for any information.

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2. 11 Comments

   Topic Closed
3. 
   Jan 7, '02

   However, several years ago there was an article in the paper calling it out and out quackery. I did have one elderly gent who was advised he need double fem pop bypass. He went for Chelation threapy and delayed surgery. He ended up being a double amputee.
4. 
   Jan 7, '02

   Don't know much about it. There was one guy here who did it. I do know it was IV though. He also put alot of vitamins in everything. Also, a friend of mine had it done to him because of cardio-vascular disease but it didn't work for him. He has had 2 MI's and Open heart surgery since then!
   
   Sorry not more help.
   sara
5. 
   Jan 7, '02

   Pardon my ignorance, but what is Chelation therapy?
6. 
   Jan 7, '02

   If I remember correctly, it is the approved FDA therapy for lead poisoning. Last time I heard it had not been approved for anything else. However, a lot of people feel it will pull other toxins out of the body.
7. 
   Jan 7, '02

   Thanks Oramar!
8. 
   Jan 7, '02

   I lost count of the number of pts we got at the hospital down the road-via ambulance from the chelation clinic down the road...yet many people frequent the place.
9. 
   Jan 7, '02

   A friend of mine receives IV chelation therapy on a weekly basis. He has cardiovascular problems (multiple) and a Hx of abd aneurism. He does receive a mega dose of vitamin C (IV) as part of the therapy. He thinks it is great and says it has helped him in many ways. He says his doctor treats many people with arthritis because it removes all metals, not just lead.
   
   My observation is that he is extremely tired the afternoon and the day following his therapy and that he takes extra lasix the day after the treatment because of the extra fluid ( his prescription, not the doctors ). It is very expensive, over $100.00 a week. He pays out of pocket, it is not covered by his insurance.
   
   Borders Books has at least two different titles pertaining to the subject.
10. 
    Jan 8, '02

    Thank you, everyone, for the info. I am very curious about this treatment, being a cardiovascular ICU nurse. Just wanted to hear the pros and cons, seeing how this may be an "upcoming" therapy.
11. 
    Jan 16, '02

    More than you've asked for...
    
    
    http://www.quackwatch.com/cgi-bin/ag...uery=chelation
12. 
    Jan 16, '02

    ...

    Last edit by Huganurse on Jun 30, '02
13. 
    Feb 1, '02

    I'm writing an article review on chelation therapy for my hospital's ICU newsletter.
    
    Here's a couple of abstract results:
    
    1. "The most striking finding is the almost total lack of convincing evidence for efficacy. Numerous case reports and case series found. The majority of these publications seem to indicate that chelation therapy is effective. Only 2 controlled clinical trials were located. They provide no evidence that chelation therapy is efficacious beyond a powerful placebo effect."
    
    From the American Heart Journal, July, 2000.
    
    2. "EDTA chelation therapy appears to achieve revitalization of the myocardium, and is a viable alternative or adjunct to revascularization...."
    
    From Alternative Medicine Review, February, 1998.
    
    Personally, as much as I like to promote complementary therapies (and I do!), I have to see the evidence in controlled (preferably double-blind) clinical trials. If any form of medicine is to become reputable and efficient, it must survive clinical trials that rely on more than anecdotal evidence. So far, chelation therapy has not met that evidence in my view.

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