Good News for Diabetes Patients with Poor Circulation

by Dr. Angelique Hart, M.D.

A January 2019 article in ‘Interventional News’ titled “Chelation therapy surprises experts with positive results in diabetic patients with CLI “ [critical limb ischemia] (https://interventionalnews.com/chelation-therapy-diabetes-cli/) discusses additional findings from TACT (the Trial to Assess Chelation Therapy study) presented at the 31st International Symposium on Endovascular Therapy.

Chelation Therapy is an IV therapy that uses EDTA, a heavy metal binder, able to remove toxic metals from the body. It has been used safely for well over 60 years (by mostly Integrative Medical Doctors) to treat primarily heart and circulation problems. Toxic metals are known to cause inflammation of the blood vessels resulting in artherosclerosis, which leads to heart disease and poor circulation. Lead and Cadmium are two of the more common heavy metals that play a substantial role in this toxic inflammatory response. Increases in urinary excretion of 4000% for lead and 700% for cadmium can be observed after one IV chelation infusion.

TACT showed Chelation Therapy to be safe and beneficial for patients with Cardiovascular Disease. For diabetics, the study was even more convincing…showing a 43% reduction in relative risk of death and a 50% reduction in risk for repeat heart attacks! Another study (TACT2) is underway to have a more in depth look at the effect of Chelation Therapy in diabetics.

As patients with diabetes are at risk for multiple complications from their chronic inflammatory condition, they can end up with very severely restricted circulation in the legs because of the swollen inflamed capillaries. The impaired blood flow leads to a severe lack of oxygen to the tissues (ischemia) with resultant pain and swelling and possible need for amputation. TACT investigators Dr. Lamas and Dr. Ujueta presented another chelation study done in 10 diabetics with severe limb ischemia. In this study, patients received 50 IV Chelation infusions plus oral vitamins. The results were encouraging and supportive for another [large] chelation trial specifically designed for patients with peripheral vascular disease. Dr. Lamas also presented a story of a patient who had failed all forms of conventional therapy and who was heading for amputation. After 48 infusions, this patient no longer needed amputation and his foot ulceration and pain disappeared.

As a Board Certified Anesthesiologist with Interventional Pain Management Fellowship training, I have seen many patients who suffer from the long-term effects of chronic inflammation with resultant pain, especially nerve pain (neuropathy), swelling and loss of function. Coming from a holistic approach to medicine, I have always focused on the removal of the underlying cause of disease, which very often is a form of toxin leading to inflammation. Because of my background in Anesthesiology, I am very comfortable dealing with all forms of IV therapies and know clearly how to deal with “difficult veins”, for which I use a tiny amount of lidocaine to make access easy and painless! I was certified in Chelation Therapy and already doing this in my Integrative Clinic in Miami 18 years ago when Dr. Lamas asked me to help him with the pilot study that lead to TACT. The TACT results were no surprise to me as I have seen many patients improve beautifully with reduction of high blood pressures, decrease of nerve pain, disappearance of leg ulcers, cessation of chest pain and overall improvement in wellbeing after IV Chelation Therapy. Chelation is proven safe in the hands of trained and certified physicians that follow a protocol that includes regular heavy metal testing to show reduction of toxin levels, medical evaluation and labs to help adjust for the proper dose and IV fluid amount for the patients, and proper replacement therapy to make up for possible loss of minerals.

As more studies are showing the causative correlation of toxins in chronic disease, Chelation Therapy will become a more commonly accepted life-saving therapy that should be covered by Insurance.

To read the original article click below on Truly Alive