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Commonly used to treat toxic conditions such as lead poisoning, chelation (kee-LAY-shun) therapy is an experimental treatment for certain progressive heart diseases, including coronary artery disease. Organizations such as the American Heart Association, U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and National Institutes of Health (NIH) point out that there is not enough evidence to justify the widespread use of this treatment. No large-scale studies have been performed on chelation, although the NIH is conducting a study that will be completed in 2007.

Chelation therapy is an expensive and time-consuming treatment that involves a series of up to 30 infusions of a chelating agent. The hope is that the chelating agent will bind to calcium and remove calcified plaque from the arteries. However, more research is necessary before concluding whether or not this treatment is a safe and effective option in the prevention and/or treatment of heart disease.