Chelation therapy is a safe, effective and relatively inexpensive treatment to restore blood flow in victims of atherosclerosis without surgery. Chelation therapy involves the intravenous infusion of a prescription medicine called ethylene diamine tetra-acetic acid (EDTA). WHAT IS EDTA?.

Edta is a substance which removes undesirable metals from the body. Some metals, such as lead, mercury and cadmium are poisons. Lead and cadmium levels correlate with high blood pressure. All metals, even essential nutritional elements, are toxic in excess or when abnormally situated. Edta normalizes the distribution of most metallic elements in the body. Edta improves calcium and cholesterol metabolism by eliminating metallic elements in the body. Edta improves calcium and cholesterol metabolism by eliminating metallic catalysts which cause damage to cell membranes by producing "oxygen free radicals". Free radical pathology is now believed by many scientists to be an important contributing cause of atherosclerosis, cancer, diabetes and other diseases of aging. Edta helps to prevent the production of harmful free radicals.

What is it used for?

Chelation therapy is used to reverse symptoms of hardening of the arteries, also known as atherosclerosis or arteriosclerosis. Atherosclerosis is caused by multiple complex factors, including atherosclerosis or arteriosclerosis. Atherosclerosis is caused by multiple complex factors, including abnormal accumulations of metallic elements. The end result is plaque formation within arteries which blocks the flow of blood. Plaques are composed of fibrous tissue, cholesterol and calcium.

Atherosclerosis leads to heart attack, stroke, senility and may lead to amputation of extremities. Every single study of the use of chelation therapy for atherosclerosis which has ever been published, without exception, has described an improvement in blood flow and symptoms. Adverse editorial comment to the contrary lacks evidence and stems primarily from physicians with a vested interest in catheterization and surgery.

How does artery disease affect health?

Blockage of blood vessels by plaque (atheroma) reduces the flow of blood, starving vital organs for oxygen and other nutrients. Cell walls then became leaky, allowing excessive calcium, sodium and other elements to enter. When calcium accumulates to a critical point, deposits form, like concrete. These calcifications can often be seen on xray. Disordered calcium metabolism can also cause coronaries and other arteries to go into spasm, further reducing blood to vital organs.

HOW DOES CHELATION THERAPY AFFECT HEALTH?

Chelation therapy promotes health by correcting the major underlying cause of arterial blockage. Damaging oxygen free radicals are increased by the presence of metallic elements and act as a chronic irritant to blood vessel walls and cell membranes. Edta removes those metallic irritants, allowing leaky and damaged cell walls to heal. Plaques smooth over and shrink, allowing more blood to pass. Arterial walls become softer and more pliable, allowing easier expansion. Scientific studies have proven that blood flow increases after chelation therapy. A complete program of chelation therapy involves a broad-based health care program of regular exercise, proper nutrition, vitamin and mineral supplementation and avoidance of tobacco and other damaging habits.

WHAT ARE THE INTERACTIONS BETWEEN CHELATION THERAPY AND OTHER TREATMENTS FOR ARTERY DISEASE?.

Chelation therapy can be utlilized in conjunction with most other therapies for cardio-vascular disease. Edta is compatible with, blood thinners, blood vessel dilators, medicines for blood pressure and heart arrhythmias, calcium blockers and beta blockers. The need for drugs is often reduced or eliminated after a course of chelation therapy.

WHAT ABOUT SAFETY AND SIDE EFFECTS?

Chelation therapy is among the safest of medical procedures. More than 400,000 patients have received over four million treatments during the past 30 years. Not one death has been directly caused by chelation therapy, when properly administered by a physician who was fully trained and competent in the use of this therapy. Side effects are possible, as with any drug therapy. Vein irritation, mild pain, headache and fatigue may occur. Occasionally a mild and transient fever occurs. These and other minor side effects, if they occur, are easily controlled by adjusting the duration and frequency of treatment, or with the use of other simple measures. Side effects tend to diminish after the first few treatments. Most patients experience few or no side effects.

HOW DO I KNOW IF I NEED OR CAN BENEFIT FROM CHELATION THERAPY?

If you have chest pain or leg pain on walking; shortnes of breath; painful, discolored feet, transient loss of vision; paralysis; or rapidly failing memory, see a physician! Any unexplained or persistent symptoms which affect your heart, head or limbs should be explored for circulatory blockage.

HOW WILL I BE ABLE TO TELL IF CHELATION THERAPY HAS HELPED ME?

Patients routinely report reduction or elimination of their symptoms with an increasing sense of well being after chelation therapy. Family and friends are often the first to notice and report improvement in appearance, behavior and performance. Comparison of pre- and post- therapy diagnostic tests can provide objective evidence of effectiveness.

CAN MY PERSONAL PHYSICIAN GIVE THIS TREATMENT?

Any licensed physician can legally adminiter this treatment.Courses to train physicians in the safe use of chelation therapy are offered twice yearly by the American College for Advancement in Medicine. Interested physicians should contact ACAM for information about training and certification in this important type of medical therapy.

CAN CHELTAION THERAPY BE USED AFTER BYPASS SURGERY?

Yes! Although chelation therapy is best utilized to avoid bypass surgery, many patients who have previously undergone one or more bypass procedures, often with little or no benefit, have subsequently benefitted greatly from chelation therapy. Treatment for each patient must be individualized. If all else fails, including chelation therapy, bypass remains available as a last resort.

DO MEDICAL INSURANCE COMPANIES PAY FOR CHELATION THERAPY?

Most medical insurance companies, including medicare, have been financially depleted by paying for so many expensive surgeries. Segments of the health care industry which profit greatly from surgical procedures are politically poweful. Physicians who review claims for medical insurance companies often favor the extremely expensive and risky procedures, such as bypass surgery, while refusing payment for equally beneficial, far less expensive and immeasurably safer chelation therapy. While insurance policies do not specifically exclude chelation therapy in their policies, patients have often had to resort to the courts in order to collect their insurance benefits.

WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO GET TESTED?

Almost half of all heart attacks strike people who don't know they're at risk-people without well-known risk factors such as fatty diets, hypertension, smoking, or high cholesterol. That's one reason cardiovascular disease is the number one killer in America today, claiming more lives than cancer, accidents, and AIDS combined. However, with Great Smokies' Comprehensive Cardiovascular Assessment you can find out if other hidden factors may be affecting your heart´s health and take steps to protect yourself.

WHAT ARE IMPORTANT FACTORS FOR HEART HEALTH?

One important factor is the amount of lipids--fats--in the body. Simply speaking, heart disease develops when your blood lipids--i.e. your total cholesterol level -get too high. But researchers have recently found that the complete picture involves many other important factors.

Scientists have identified new warning markers, related to nutrition, blood clotting, and inflammation, that can play a major role in determining whether an individual will suffer a heart attack. Using these latest advancements in cardiovascular research, Great Smokies has designed a unique Comprehensive Cardiovascular Assessment that measures 10 important markers and their ratios:

WHAT DO THESE MARKERS MEAN?

You may already be familiar with some of the lipid markers such as LDL cholesterol and triglycerides, which are increased by a diet high in saturated fats or carbohydrates and often lead to heart disease. HDL cholesterol, commonly called the "good cholesterol", is bolstered by exercise and fish oils, and actually protects your heart. Apo A-1 and Apo B are important protein components of these two cholesterols that influence their movement in the bloodstream and determine their impact on your cardiovascular system.

But besides these important standard markers, there are new independent factors that can double or even triple the likelihood of heart attack and stroke.

Researchers at Harvard recently discovered that C-reactive protein, a protein that indicates inflammation in the body, serves as a strong predictor of future heart attack and stroke. Levels of this important protein are increased by past or current infections, such as Chlamydia pneumoniae.

Another new marker, homocysteine, is an amino acid that can scrape the lining of blood vessel walls, triggering fatty deposits and atherosclerosis. One study found that men with high homocisteine had 3 times greater incidence of heart attack, even when adjustment for other factors was considered!.

Lipids and proteins are transported through your bloodstream together in packages called lipoproteins. Lipoprotein(a) has been cited by many researchers as the most important marker for predicting the severity of future heart disease. Like homocysteine, it is strongly influenced by heredity.

And finally, fibrinogen is an important agent in the blood clotting process, with high levels linked to both heart disease and stroke. Like the blood lipids, fibrinogen is affected by factors such as smoking, stress, obesity, and aging.

HOW WILL J UNDERSTAND THE OVERALL TEST RESULTS?

Having a combination of cardiac factors greatly increases your overall chance of heart disease. That's why your test results will also include a Cardiovascular Index, determined by a multivariate analysis of all of your individual markers, for a general indication of overall cardiac helath.

WHAT KINDS OF TREATMENT CAN IMPROVE THESE MARKERS?

The good news is that almost all these hidden factors that affect cardiovascular disease are modifiable. Cholesterol, LDL, HDL, and triglyceride levels can often be managed through an active treatment program that addresses diet, exercise, and stress reduction. C-reactive protein can be reduced using anti-inflammatory agents. And despite being strongly influenced by genetics, homocysteine and Lp(a) can be modified with nutritional therapy. In fact, research evidence confirms that comprehensive lifestyle changes may be able to reduce the effects of even severe heart disease after only one year, without the use of drugs.