Chelation Therapy in Coronary Artery Disease: Fact or Fiction?

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is responsible for 690,000 deaths a year, a leading cause of mortality worldwide. CAD results from cholesterol plaque buildup in arteries. Chelation therapy, which uses ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid to remove toxic metals from the bloodstream, has been explored as an alternative treatment for atherosclerotic CAD. While the 2013 Trial to Assess Chelation Therapy (TACT) trial showed modest cardiovascular benefits, particularly in patients with diabetes, subsequent studies such as TACT2 did not confirm its efficacy in reducing cardiovascular events in patients with diabetes. Adverse effects of chelation therapy could include renal dysfunction, electrolyte imbalances, and potential complications from heavy metal mobilization that could be fatal. Still, none of these were seen in TACT or TACT2.