Plzen.lek.Sborn., Suppl.62, 1990: 157-159

CALCIUM-DISODIUM-EDTA TREATMENT FOR CARDIOVASCULAR SYMPTOMS

W. Blumer

General Practice, CH-8754 Netstal, Switzerland

Many reports have suggested that vascular diseases may be ini­tiated by the accumulation of trace metals over many years through exposure to exhaust gases, drinking water, food from metal contai­ners, cigarette smoke, dental fillings, refuse incineration, ferti­lizers, pesticides (1,3,6,7,8,9,11,12,15). Since 40 years many physicians in USA, USSR, CSFR and China have treated patients suffer­ing from cardiovascular symptoms with Na2-EDTA-infusions in the assumption that calcium and other metals would be eliminated from the arterial walls. The current study tries to determine if patients with mild cardiovascular symptoms react favorably to intravenous in­jections of CaNa2-EDTA.

For statistical reasons it seemed advisableto limit the study to those patients who complained about the most frequently in gene­ral practice occuring[sic] symptoms without clearly definable causes, as rapid heart beats, heart pains, pressures in the chest, diziness[sic], vascular headaches. 343 patients, average age 44 years. Treatment consisted of i. v.[sic] injections of 1 g CaNa2-EDTA, two times weekly over 5 to 10 weeks, combined with vitamin C, B-1 and trace minerals per os.[sic] 68% of all patients were cured and 22% improved. Relapses often occured[sic] after one or several years and could be taken care of in the same manner. No side-effects were noted. 35 of these patients suffered from high blood pressure. In nearly all cases the pressure was lowered during the treatment, but this affect was rather transitory.

Some questions are not yet answered: CaNa2-EDTA can be injected intravenously, so that an infusion is not necessary. The treatment is inexpensive and completely harmless In these small doses. But from occupational medicine it is known that CaNa2-EDTA is more effi­cient when given by i.v.[sic] infusion (14).  Is it less efficient than Na2-EDTA? The latter can be administered only byinfusion. It was able, with in vitro experiments, to remove calcium from arterial walls (15,16). Is it necessary indeed  to remove calcium from the ar­terial walls? Calcium Is known in occupational medicine to have a good antitoxic efficacy (5).  It has been usedin former times for treatment of lead poisoning. Through calcium the lead is not elimi­nated from the body, but rather simply bound and deposited in a relatively harmless form. It was found in animal experiments that lead and cadmium induced aortic atherosclerosis and hypertension, but calcium protected against cardiovascular effects (8). Selye created the term "calciphylaxis": when small doses of chemical substances, for instance trace metals, are applied to living tissues, it results in accumulation of calcium in the damaged region (17). So calcium might not be the cause of atherosclerosis but rather serve as improvised repair mechanism and detoxifying agent. At least for moderate symp­toms and for prevention CaNA2-EDTA-injections seem to be very useful. After wide-spread use of CaNa2-EDTA during 30 years the author has noticed among his clients, for many years, hardly any patients with cerebral damages, heart infarcts and peripheral vascular occlusive diseases.

Is it possible to prove by measurments[sic] the existence of toxic metals in the body, responsible for cardiovascular symptoms? The concentrations of lead from automobile-exhaust now have been consi­derably reduced, but there are still many other toxic metals in our environment: Hg, Cd, Bi, As, Sn, Cu, Cr, Co, Mn, Ni, Al, Y, Pu, Ra. Mixtures of several poisons can produce effects which exceed by far those expected from the mere addition of the single components(2,5,10). Therefore it can be assumed that toxic effects from environ­mental trace metals may emerge even through very small concentra­tions which lie far below the officially tolerated threshold values.

References

l. Freeman R.: Reversible myocarditis due to chronic lead poisoning. Arch.Dis.Childh.40,1965: 489-93. -
2. Hogger 0.: Erster Bericht der Eidg. Kommission fur Lufthygiene. Bull.des Eidg.Gesundheitsamtezes, Beilage 8 Nr.5,1961. -
3. Kopp S.J., Perry H.M. et al.: Cardiac phy­siologic-metabolic changes after chronic low-level heavy metal feed­ing. Am.J.Physiol.239, H22-H30,1980. -
4. Malinovska V. et al.: Ultrahistochemical study of the effect of glucagon and chelation III on arterial wall structure after experimental calcification. Folia morphol. (Prague) 27, 1979: 20-22. -
5. Moeschlin S. Klinik und Therapi der Vergiftungen. Georg Thieme Verlag, Stuttgart, 1965. -
6. Moore M.R. et al.: Cardiac effects of lead in drinking water of rats. Clin.Sci. and Mol.Med.49,1975: 337-41. t
7. Myerson R.M. and Eisenhauer J.H. : Atrioventricular conduction defects in lead poisoning. Am. J. Cardiol. 1963: 409-12. -
8. Revis N.W. et al.: Atherosclerosis  and   hypertension   induction   by   lead  and  cadmium ions:   an effect pre-­vented by calcium ion. Proc.Natl.Acad.Sci.78,1981: 6494-98. -
9. Schroeder H.A.: Trace metals and chronic diseases. Advances in Int. Med.8,1956. 259-303. -
10. Schubert J.:  Combined effects in toxicology. J.Toxicol. and Environm.Health 4,1978: 763-776. –
11. Silver W. and Rodriguez R.: Electrocardiographic studies 1n children with lead poisoning. Pediatrics 41,1968:  1124-27. –
12. Stern F.B. and Lemen R.A.:  Exposure of motor vehicle examiners to carbon monoxide.  Aron.Environm.Health 36,1981: 59-66. –
13. Szadkowski D. et al.:Das Verthalten des Blutbleisoiegels oei einigen internen Krankheiten.  Arbeitsmed.Sozialmed.Atoeitsnyg.4,1969: 54-55. –
14. Teisinger J. and Scoova S.: Der Wert der Mooilisation von Blei mit Kalzium-EDTA inder Diagnose der Bleivergiftung Brit.J.Industr.Med.16,1959: 148. -
15. Voors A.W. and Johnson W.J.: Additive statistical effects of cadmium and lead on heart-related disease in a North Carolina autopsy series Arch.Environm.Health 37,1982: 98-102.
16. Zechmeister A.: The inhibitory affect of chelation III in experimentally induced calcification of rabbit aorta. 1983. Pers.comm.
17. Selye H.: Calci-Phylaxis. University of Chicago Press, 1962[sic]