Support for an alternative approach:
from Journal of Integrative Medicine 1997;1:7-12
Majid Ali, M.D., Omar Ali, M.D., Alfred Fayemi, M.D., Judy Juco, M.D.,
Carol Grieder-Brandenburger, R.N.
From the Departments of Medicine of Capital University of Integrative Medicine, Washington, D.C., and Institute of Preventive Medicine, New York (MA,OA,AF,JJ, CG), the Department of Pathology, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York (MA), and Department of Pathology, Mount Sinai School of Medicine (AF). Send requests for reprints to MA at Suite 1-H, 140 West End Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10083. This outcome study was presented in part at the 1995 annual meeting of the American Academy of Preventive Medicine in New York.
Objective
To assess the clinical efficacy of an integrated management program including nutritional and herbal therapies, nongoal-oriented exercise, self- regulation, and EDTA chelation therapy for patients with advanced ischemic heart disease (IHD).
Patients
Twenty-six consecutive patients who presented with advanced ischemic heart disease and who had fared poorly after one or more coronary bypass operations (5), one or more angioplasty procedures (6), or who failed to respond adequately to multiple drug therapies (15), and who had received a minimum number of 20 EDTA infusions. Duration of follow-up ranged from 15 months to 9 years.
Methods
1. Clinical evaluation of patients before, during and after the integrated program used in this study. 2. Assessment of myocardial perfusion by comparative study of thallium perfusion scans performed before and after the IHD reversal program.
Clinical Outcome Measures
The following clinical outcome criteria were semiquantitatively defined: Excellent outcome, absence of significant symptoms and discontinuance of previously prescribed drug therapies; good, 75%+ relief of symptoms and reduction of drug dose; moderate, 50%+ relief of symptoms and reduction of drug dose; and poor, 25% or less relief of symptoms and reduction of drug dosage. Elements for follow-up included in the clinical outcome sheet were as follows: angina, chest tightness and related discomfort, arrhythmia, other chest symptoms, dyspnea, severity of stress, mood changes, anger, energy level, quality of sleep, appetite, digestion and frequency of bowel movements (all clinical parameters that determine the degree of AA oxidopathy—a state of chronic and insidious accelerated oxidative molecular injury to all elements of the circulating blood which we consider to be the core pathogenetic mechanism of IHD.1)
Results
Clinical outcome data are as follows: excellent 61%, good 17%, moderate 13%, and poor 9%. Comparative study of pre- and post-chelation myocardial perfusion scans showed clear, objective evidence of significant improvement in myocardial perfusion in five of six patients in whom such studies were performed. No patients during the study period suffered an acute myocardial infarction or underwent angioplasty or coronary bypass operation.
Conclusion
Preliminary and limited outcome data in this study indicate significant potential for reversing IHD in patients with advanced ischemic heart disease by an integrated management plan with global emphasis on reducing oxidative stress on the circulating blood, cardiac myocytes and the conducting system of the heart. The program included nutritional and herbal therapies, self-regulation, nongoal- oriented exercise and EDTA chelation therapy. Additional and larger studies are warranted to fully explore the clinical potential of such an integrated management plan. |
