Chelation Therapy in Cardiovascular Disease: Ethylenediaminetetraacetic Acid, Deferoxamine, and Dexrazoxane

This review was conducted to assess whether there is sufficient evidence for the clinical use of chelation therapy in cardiovascular disease based on original articles and abstracts published in the last 30 years, with emphasis placed on the most recent placebo-controlled studies. Articles postulating the mechanisms of chelation also were included. The majority of the literature focused on three chelators in particular, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), deferoxamine, and dexrazoxane (ICRF-187). Historically, much has been written on the beneficial effects of EDTA. However, there are few controlled studies, and the mechanism of action of EDTA is poorly understood. Although studies of deferoxamine are more recent, most of the research is limited to animals and ex vivo models. Recently, dexrazoxane was approved, but only for parenteral use for reducing the incidence and severity of cardiomyopathy associated with doxorubicin administration in women with metastatic breast cancer. Given these limitations, it is concluded that more controlled studies are required to determine the efficacy of chelation therapy in cardiovascular disease before it can be used broadly in the clinical setting.