Chelation therapy to treat atherosclerosis, particularly in diabetes: is it time to reconsider?

Title Chelation therapy to treat atherosclerosis, particularly in diabetes: is it time to reconsider?
Journal Expert Review of Cardiovascular Therapy
Authors Ergui I, Lamas GA
Year Published 2016
Link to article

Expert commentary
Chelation reduced adverse cardiovascular events in a post myocardial infarction (MI) population. Patients with diabetes demonstrated even greater benefit, with a number needed to treat of 6.5 patients to prevent a cardiac event over 5 years, with a 41% relative reduction in risk of a cardiac event (p = 0.0002). These results led to the revision of the ACC/AHA guideline recommendations for chelation therapy, changing its classification from class III to class IIb. TACT2, a replicative trial, will assess the effects of chelation therapy on cardiovascular outcomes in diabetic patients with a prior myocardial infarction. We are seeking participating sites for TACT2.

Enhanced Vasculotoxic Metal Excretion in Post-Myocardial Infarction Patients Receiving Edetate Disodium-Based Infusion

Title Enhanced Vasculotoxic Metal Excretion in Post-Myocardial Infarction Patients Receiving Edetate Disodium-Based Infusion
Journal Journal of the American College of Cardiology
Authors Ivan Arenas; Ana Navas-Acien; Gervasio Lamas
Year Published
2016
Link to article

Conclusions
Edetate disodium markedly increased excretion of lead and cadmium, two toxic metals with established epidemiologic evidence and mechanisms linking them to coronary and vascular events.

Edetate Disodium-Based Treatment for Secondary Prevention in Post-Myocardial Infarction Patients

Title Edetate Disodium-Based Treatment for Secondary Prevention in Post-Myocardial Infarction Patients
Journal Current Cardiology Reports
Authors Lamas GA, Issa, OM
Year Published 2016
Link to article
Link to abstract

Abstract
An abundance of data, known for decades, is available linking metals, such as lead and cadmium, with cardiovascular disease. However, the idea that these toxic metals could be a modifiable risk factor for atherosclerosis did not become apparent clinically until the completion of the Trial to Assess Chelation Therapy in 2012. This pivotal study was the first double-blind, randomized, controlled trial of its kind to demonstrate a clear improvement in cardiovascular outcomes with edetate disodium therapy in a secondary prevention, post-myocardial infarction population. This effect size was most striking in diabetic patients, where the efficacy of edetate disodium was comparable, if not superior, to that of current guideline-based therapies. Given the economic burden of diabetes and cardiovascular disease, the potential impact of this therapy could be enormous if the results of this study are replicated.

Chelation Therapy A New Look at an Old Treatment for Heart Disease, Particularly in Diabetics

Title Chelation Therapy
A New Look at an Old Treatment for Heart Disease, Particularly in Diabetics
Journal Circulation – Cardiology Patient Page
Authors Gervasio A. Lamas, MD
Year Published 2015
Link to article
Link to abstract

Summary
Dr. Lamas provides information to patients about chelation in heart disease.