EDTA (ethylene diamine tetraecetic acid) is a synthetic amino acid, which has the ability to attach itself to metals and minerals, forming a particular kind of bond called a chelate. Heavier metals such as lead have a greater affinity for EDTA and form stronger bonds. When administered intravenously, the EDTA latches on to toxins in the body and extracts them through the kidneys. EDTA removes these harmful elements and allows the body to function more normally and actually repair some of the damage done by these toxins. Through a mechanism still not well understood, EDTA helps reduce the plaque build-up in the blood vessels.

Chelation therapy is an intravenous therapy given to help accomplish several health goals. Some of these are: removal of toxic heavy metals such as lead, mercury, and aluminum; improve circulation, reverse hardening of the arteries; and aid in the removal of vascular plaque, to name a few.

Since 1953, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has recognized EDTA as a treatment for lead poisoning. In the 1940's and 50's, some doctors using EDTA to treat lead toxicity in patients who also happened to suffer from heart disease observed an unexpected improvement in their angina symptoms. These unexpected and, at the time, unexplainable improvements in other symptoms created an interest in evaluating these benefits. As clinical treatment of other conditions progressed, the benefits were astounding. Numerous patients were offered a second chance at health in the face of limited and often drastic options such as bypass surgery and amputation. Recently, a study published in medial hypothesis involving 2,870 patients treated with EDTA chelation showed "marked" or "good" improvement for 93% of the patients with ischemic heart disease and for 98.6% of the patients with peripheral vascular disease. There are over 3,000 articles in the medical literature documenting the benefits of chelation. Since that time, doctors have used EDTA to treat blood vessel disease, and they believe based on their observation in individual patients and on other types of evidence, that EDTA is useful for that purpose.

Scientists as well as the FDA generally agree that controlled scientific tests are needed to conclusively establish whether any medical treatment is effective, and in particular whether EDTA is effective in treating vascular diseases. Observations by individual doctors and other kinds of evidence are not considered reliable enough to ensure that any therapy actually works. Nonetheless, while the FDA has not approved EDTA for treating vascular disease, the status of EDTA as an approved drug for lead poisoning permits physicians to use it to treat other conditions, including vascular disease. This kind of discretionary use of approved drugs by physicians is common to a number of medical treatments.

Despite the lack of controlled scientific studies as proof of its effectiveness, physicians have used EDTA chelation therapy for over 40 years to treat such related diseases as cardiovascular disease, diabetic arterial disease, decreased mental function from vascular disease and intermittent claudication (leg pain). Many physicians also use EDTA in preventive medicine. Scientific studies on chelation therapy are ongoing and may one day lead to new treatments for heart disease.