No Benefit of Chelation Therapy in CAD Patients

Although some have claimed that chelation therapy alters plaque constituents and improves endothelial function in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD), this therapy may not be clinically effective. These researchers assessed how chelation therapy affects exercise ischemic thresholds and quality of life. From 1996 to 2000, they screened 3140 patients and ultimately randomized 84, in double-blind fashion, to receive either chelation therapy with intravenous ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) or placebo twice weekly for 15 weeks and then once monthly for 3 months. All patients had either angiographically documented CAD or established evidence of MI and stable angina while receiving optimal medical treatment. Each participant also ha…