Heart & metabolism
Coronary heart disease
Can chelation open blocked heart arteries without a stent or bypass?
Coronary heart disease is the leading cause of death in the U.S., and much of it is preventable. This page explains the standard treatments, the clinic's chelation-based approach, and what two large NIH trials found.
In 30 seconds
The short answer
Coronary heart disease happens when fatty plaque builds up in the heart's arteries, reducing blood flow and making clots more likely.2 For most people it is preventable, and plaque buildup may even be stopped or reversed, with a heart-healthy lifestyle and medicines.4 The clinic proposes EDTA chelation instead of stents and bypass. A large NIH trial designed to test that idea, TACT2, found no benefit.19
- Often silent until something happens: chest pain, a heart attack or cardiac arrest.3
- Proven care works together: lifestyle change, medicines such as statins and aspirin, and procedures when needed.567
- Chelation was tested twice. A small benefit in the first trial was not repeated in the second.1619
- Some products have regulator warnings: ozone and chlorine dioxide.2425
How it develops
How coronary heart disease develops
A simplified sequence based on NHLBI's description.
Standard care
| Approach | What it does | When it is used |
|---|---|---|
| Heart-healthy lifestyle | Manages cholesterol, blood pressure and weight; not smoking protects vessels.11 | Everyone, at every stage.5 |
| Statins | Control cholesterol and slow plaque buildup.6 | High risk, or diagnosed disease.6 |
| Low-dose aspirin | Helps prevent another heart attack or stroke.7 | After a heart attack or stroke; not with high bleeding risk.7 |
| Nitrates | Widen the arteries and relieve angina.8 | Chest pain from narrowed arteries.8 |
| Angioplasty and stent | Open a narrowed or blocked artery.9 | Significant blockages.9 |
| Bypass surgery (CABG) | Routes blood around blocked arteries.10 | Severe disease in several arteries.10 |
The clinic's approach
The Pakistan Institute of Medical Advancement in Karachi, whose documents inform this site, proposes chelation and other treatments in place of stents, bypass and heart medicines. Here is what its documents say, and what independent evidence shows.
The clinic's approach, and what the evidence shows
Three heart treatments the clinic's documents propose, each with the clinic's words first, then independent evidence.
EDTA chelation to open blocked heart arteries instead of angioplasty or bypass surgery
Proposed instead of standard careEvidence points the other way- Where the clinic says this
- "HEART DISEASES" note;26 Urdu trifold brochure;28 "ED-JECT" product sheet.29
- The clinic's stated rationale
- The note states that heart disease is caused by "micro clot and micro plaques" and that angioplasty, bypass and "blocker drugs" cannot treat it.26 The product sheet cites the first NIH trial, where people with diabetes did better on chelation.29
- Evidence and limitations
- This is the clinic proposal with the most research behind it, so the full picture matters. In TACT, cardiac events were 26% on chelation and 30% on placebo, but NIH judged that not enough to support routine use.16 The benefit appeared only in people with diabetes,17 so TACT2 repeated the test in that group: 35.6% with EDTA against 35.7% with placebo.19 The sheet cites the first result and not the second. NHLBI concludes that chelation does not seem to stop plaque or reduce complications,13 and it is not FDA-approved for heart disease.14
- What this means for you
- Chelation can cause dangerously low calcium and kidney damage.21 Do not delay or refuse a recommended stent, bypass or heart medicine in favor of it.23 If you are considering it, discuss it with your cardiologist first.
Lumbrokinase ("Rotoplasminogen-Ec"), an earthworm enzyme promoted as "Bypassing the bypass"
Proposed instead of standard careNot proven- Where the clinic says this
- Brochure set, pages 7–8.3031
- The clinic's stated rationale
- It is described as a natural clot-dissolving and anti-platelet agent.3031
- Evidence and limitations
- ProperHealth found no NIH or FDA evaluation of lumbrokinase for heart disease. Treatments that are proven to lower clot risk after a heart attack, such as low-dose aspirin, are prescribed and supervised, partly because of bleeding risk.7
- What this means for you
- A product described as clot-dissolving and anti-platelet should not be added to aspirin or other blood thinners without your prescriber.
Ozone, chlorine dioxide and DMSO for "a sick heart"
Proposed instead of standard careRegulator safety warning- Where the clinic says this
- "HEART DISEASES" note.27
- The clinic's stated rationale
- The note lists them with nutrients, deworming and herbs as the treatment for heart disease.27
- Evidence and limitations
- Federal regulation describes ozone as a toxic gas with no known useful medical application.24 The FDA says drinking chlorine dioxide (MMS) is the same as drinking bleach and can cause life-threatening low blood pressure.25 ProperHealth found no NIH or FDA evidence for DMSO in heart disease.
- What this means for you
- These are not treatments for heart disease. If someone has taken chlorine dioxide, get medical advice.
Evidence and limitations: the two chelation trials
NIH funded two large, placebo-controlled trials of EDTA chelation in people who had already had a heart attack.
Heart events in the two NIH chelation trials
Who was studied, and what each group received
- TACT (first trial): 1,708 adults aged 50 or older who had had a heart attack; 40 infusions of EDTA or placebo, without knowing which.15
- Why a second trial: the TACT benefit appeared only in people with diabetes.17
- TACT2 (second trial): adults aged 50 or older with diabetes and a past heart attack, 2016–2023.18
These are results from research trials in these participants. They are not evidence for any ProperHealth, Clarkson or clinic service.
What the two trials show
- In TACT, events were 26% with chelation and 30% with placebo, a modest difference NIH judged insufficient for routine use.16
- The benefit appeared only in people with diabetes.17
- In TACT2, which tested exactly that group, events were 35.6% and 35.7%.19
- EDTA removed lead from the blood but did not reduce heart events.20
What to do next
Know your numbers
Ask about your cholesterol, blood pressure and blood sugar, and what they mean for your heart risk.11
Keep taking prescribed heart medicines
Bring every supplement and therapy to your visit
Including any chelation or infusion you are considering.12
Move more, and stop smoking
Both protect the heart's blood vessels.11
Ask your cardiologist about chelation first
It carries risks of low calcium and kidney damage.21
Medicines, chelation and safety
This page explains options and evidence. Decisions about your own treatment belong with your cardiologist or prescriber.
- Do not stop a statin, aspirin or blood pressure medicine to try another approach; each has a proven role.67
- Chelation products sold for home use (supplements, sprays) carry FDA warnings.22
- Clinic chelation infusions can cause dangerously low calcium and kidney damage.21
- Aspirin is not safe for people at high risk of bleeding; ask before adding anything described as a clot-dissolver.7
Compared
Conventional and integrative care, compared
What heart medicines and procedures do, their limits and risks, how plaque forms, and what the trials of chelation and other alternatives actually found.
What conventional treatment does
- Treatment combines heart-healthy lifestyle changes, medicines and procedures to prevent a heart attack and other problems.5 Statins control cholesterol and slow plaque buildup;6 after a heart attack or stroke, daily low-dose aspirin may be prescribed to prevent another;7 nitrates widen the heart's arteries and relieve angina.8
- Angioplasty opens narrowed arteries, often with a stent,9 and bypass surgery routes blood around blockages in severe disease.10 For most people the disease is preventable, and plaque buildup may be stopped or even reversed with lifestyle and medicines.4
Limits and adverse effects
- Aspirin is not safe for everyone: it is not used in people at high risk of bleeding.7 Every medicine and every complementary approach should be on the list you give your provider, because they interact.12
- Statins, aspirin and blood pressure medicines each have a proven role; stopping one to try another approach gives up that protection.67
What contributes to the condition
- Fatty plaque builds up in the heart's arteries, reducing blood flow and making clots more likely.2 Many people do not know they have it until chest pain, a heart attack or cardiac arrest.3
- High cholesterol, high blood pressure and overweight are the risk factors regular activity helps manage; smoking damages and tightens blood vessels.11
Integrative and naturopathic approaches, by evidence
Evidence levels: EstablishedEmergingHypothesisNot supported
- Established
A heart-healthy lifestyle — activity, not smoking, weight and blood pressure control — is the foundation NHLBI names, alongside medicines.411
- Not supported
EDTA chelation: in the first NIH trial (TACT, 1,708 people) a cardiac event occurred in 26% with chelation and 30% with placebo, which NIH said was not enough to support routine use;1516 the repeat trial in people with diabetes (TACT2, reported 2024) found 35.6% against 35.7% — no benefit.1819 EDTA removed lead but did not reduce heart events;20 its serious side effects are dangerously low calcium and kidney damage.21 It is not FDA-approved for heart disease.14
- Not supported
NHLBI states that chelation therapy and multivitamins do not seem to stop plaque buildup or reduce complications.13 U.S. regulation describes ozone as a toxic gas with no known useful medical application,24 and the FDA says drinking MMS (chlorine dioxide) is the same as drinking bleach.25
- Hypothesis
The clinic's note attributes heart disease to "micro clots and micro plaques" and lists nutrients, deworming, EDTA, DMSO, ozone, chlorine dioxide and herbs as treatment;2627 its brochure says chelation opens "any artery" within months and that many patients recovered without a bypass — no records are given.2832
If you have coronary heart disease, the medicines you take are the result of trials like the ones above; discuss any addition with your cardiologist before starting it.
When to get help now
Each warning sign cites the official guidance behind it. The wording still needs pharmacist sign-off.
- Chest pain, pressure or tightness lasting more than a few minutes, or spreading to the arm, jaw or back, with sweating or breathlessness: call 911.33
- Sudden shortness of breath, fainting, or a racing or irregular heartbeat with chest pain or dizziness: call 911.3435
- New chest pain, or angina that is suddenly worse, comes with lighter activity, lasts longer than usual or happens at rest: call 911.36
- After a chelation infusion, little or no urine can signal kidney harm — contact your provider. Muscle cramps and tingling can be signs of low blood calcium, a known risk of chelation.37384142
- Anyone who has swallowed bleach or chlorine dioxide (the FDA calls it “a powerful bleach”): call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222, or 911 if the person collapses, has a seizure or has trouble breathing.394043