Is Chelation therapy an alternative to bypass surgery?

Udumula Sudhakar Reddy
City cardiologists have come out strongly against chelation therapy promoted by some practitioners and said that there was absolutely no evidence of it being a viable alternative to coronary bypass surgery and angioplasty. The therapy involves a series of intravenous infusions of the organic chemical ethylenediamine tetra acetic acid (EDTA) and various other substances to cure ailments.
Some practitioners advertise chelation therapy as a cure for cardiovascular disease, autism, and many other diseases. However, cardiologists warned that it has not been proven to effectively treat multiple blocks.
Scientifically speaking, chelation has been found to be of use only in certain cases of heavy metal poisoning. "The American College of Cardiology has clearly stated that it has no scientific basis," says Dr J. Shiv Kumar, an interventional cardiologist of Hrudayam Clinic. "It is being practised in parts of North India where people are reluctant to undergo a bypass. But it is not scientifically proven."
While chelation therapy treats arterial blocks as impurities that can be leeched out, Dr Kumar pointed out that blocks occur because of fat deposits in the internal layers of the arteries and also fibrous deposits.
"They cannot be termed either an infection or impurity though they can trigger infection," he said. "They can be cleared mechanically either by balloon angioplasty or by-pass surgery with a graft." However, Dr Dhananjay Shah of Malad in Mumbai, who practises chelation therapy, insists it was legitimate. "I am the member of the American College for Advancement in Medicine (ACAM) and have been undertaking this therapy for the past eight years," he says. "A mixture of drugs is infused intravenously. It takes one hour 20 minutes and can be used to remove blocks."
He added that chelation therapy was effective in treating bad cholesterol, heavy metal poisoning and fibrosis. "It is a holistic approach and can be used for several ailments including diabetes," he said. "The number of dosages depends on age, severity of disease and the patient's habits," says the doctor who claims to have treated a patient with a cancerous tumour in the brain. "She had undergone both chemotherapy and radiotherapy when she approached me. I treat her using chelation therapy in which each sitting costs Rs 2,500. Now she's leading a perfectly normal life thanks to chelation therapy," says Dr Shah. He added that the therapy is also useful in treating impotence.
The ACAM, which promotes chelation therapy, says the hardened arteries can be softened if the calcium is removed. "Chelation therapy has not yet been proven in clinical trials," says Dr A. Ravikanth, consultant cardiologist of Yashoda Hospital. "There is no scientific data available either."
The American Heart Association's Clinical Science Committee has reviewed the available literature on the use of chelation (EDTA) in the treatment of arteriosclerotic heart or blood vessel disease and found no scientific evidence to demonstrate any benefit. It also warned that this unproven treatment may deprive patients of the well-established benefits of many proven methods