Aa
Aa
A
A
A
Close
Avatar universal

How to dissolve Atherosclerotic plaques?

Does endogenous bile salt dissolve  Atherosclerotic plaques?
How?
Any other modes of treatment to dissolve  Atherosclerotic plaques?
30 Responses
Sort by: Helpful Oldest Newest
Avatar universal
Let collective wisdom evolve and prevail.
Helpful - 0
159619 tn?1707018272
COMMUNITY LEADER
Ed is correct, carbs burn first. Weight loss is all about calories in and calories out, does not matter what the mechanism is. It takes a 3,500 calorie deficit to lose one pound.

Jon
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Does the collective wisdom of this community ditto this view?
Helpful - 0
976897 tn?1379167602
I don't think so. I remember reading somewhere that if you want to lose weight with exercise, you have to do it alternate days. It was found that you burn more body fat on your rest days, because during exercise you burn carbs, instant energy. Fat is a slow energy provider.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I had undergone bypass surgery on 29/12/2009.

Does daily over one hour rigorous exercise has no effect on body weight?
Helpful - 0
976897 tn?1379167602
I was the same. I was told it's because when you have heart problems there is a tendency to store more body fluid. I remember when my LAD was opened, I sweated much than usual for about 3 months, and my weight dropped to its original, around 66.5kg
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
My height is of 65 inches.My pre-surgery weight usually fluctuated between 75 Kg to 78Kg.Now it is fluctuating between 65Kg to 69Kg.What is lost?
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Thanks for keeping the topic alive.
Helpful - 0
976897 tn?1379167602
But is eecp a cure? From what I've read, most people have to have the treatment repeated at regular intervals. All we are doing is creating natural bypasses in the form of collaterals, but we still know very little about them in reality. Do these vessels disease over time? how many can we form?
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I wish to add on the subject of EECP's efficacy , in continuation of ed34's
comments on 17th Feb. to this column.

I am a patient of PAD as also CAD aged 69, and had CABG 13 years back and continue even today heart medications following the heart bypass surgery.  My vascular surgeons ruled out surgical interventions
for my PAD and CAD.  Besides medicines for PAD, he advised me to try
any alternative therapy like EECP, if I so desire. I did opt for EECP.
The point I wish to make is, that artheriosclorosis is  a silent killer, by
slowly  reducing blood supplies to my brain  cells, eye nerves, ear nerves
as I saw it myself by the doppler test of my Carotid arteries in neck zone.

When my vascular surgeon suggested an abdominal ultrasound, I got the shock when it revealed that my  kidneys are having  symptoms  of damages. A scan of kidneys revealed that  because of poor blood circulation, both the kidneys are  performing  below normal efficiency for
quite sometime and thus damages to kidney cells are evident.

You see the dangers,how  arterial b lockages are causing undue harm all over our body.  No surgery can remedy this, except diet, exercise and
EECP.  EECP certainly  helps blood circulation with added  force and
floods the  starved-cells with oxygen. By  this they  stop the decay  at
cell level  in different parts like, kidney, prostrate,  eye, brain cells etc.

Beyond doubt, EECP is a welcome boon to any old person to keep in
better health all round.  My own experience proves it.  

comments are welcome to  ***@****
Helpful - 0
976897 tn?1379167602
So what we need to wait for is the cheap home version to be released so we can all plug in at night for an hour.
What would be interesting is to know if it prevents disease from occurring in people with a strong family history of heart disease. I suppose that kind of research is very difficult because how would you know if they were going to develop disease in the first place.
Do you think it benefits other organs, such as the liver and kidneys?
Helpful - 0
367994 tn?1304953593
Strain on the vessels may not be an issue with EECP.   Enhanced external counterpulsation (EECP) has been demonstrated to be an effective method for the treatment of atherosclerotic vascular disease. However, the exact mechanism underlying the beneficial effects of EECP is not completely clear. We hypothesized that EECP leads to improvement in ENDOTHELIUM  function, contributing to its clinical benefits. .

The computational results show that when EECP is applied, the blood flow rate and the wall shear stress level of the artery are increased in a cadiac cycle, as well as the pulsatile character of blood flow and wall shear stress. Which are possibly the hemodynamic actors that lead to the improving of the endothelial function which is thought to be directly relating to the atherosclerosis
Helpful - 0
976897 tn?1379167602
Doesn't this put a strain on the coronary arteries, possibly damaging them to cause more atheroscerosis?
Helpful - 0
367994 tn?1304953593
A meaningful statistic for evaluation alludes conclusions as a control group is not blinded to randomization.  Also, there are 4 different categories of NYHA functional classification, etc. and what condition is being evaluated (tolerance for work, angina, V02 level)etc.

"Enhanced external counterpulsation (EECP) treatment can improve exercise tolerance in patients with ischemic heart disease; however, the possible benefits of EECP in patients with stable heart failure (HF) and left ventricular dysfunction (LVD) are unclear. An open pilot study showed significant increases in exercise tolerance in HF patients undergoing EECP. Thus a larger, controlled study of EECP in patients with stable HF (New York Heart Association [NYHA] classes II and III) and LVD was undertaken.

Methods and ResultsThe PEECH trial is a controlled, randomized, single-blind, parallel-group, multicenter study of 187 patients with symptomatic but stable HF (NYHA classes II and III) and an LV ejection fraction ≤35% was designed to assess the efficiency of EECP in patients with stable HF. Medical therapy is optimized in all patients based on the recommendations of the Heart Failure Society of America (“Usual Care”), and then randomized between 2 treatment groups; UC or EECP (35 hours over 7 weeks).

ConclusionEfficacy measures include standard exercise tolerance tests on a treadmill (modified Naughton protocol), with measurements of peak oxygen uptake and exercise duration time; quality of life questionnaires; NYHA classification; and neurohormonal markers of HF".

EECO therapy involves 35 weeks (1 hour) of treatment.  It is counter pulsation with pressure cuffs on the calves thighs and buttocks and monitored with an EKG. It increases the blood supply to arteries feeding the heart muscle.  Just before the next heart beat, all the cuffs deflate at the same time, which decreases the amount of work the heart has to do.
Helpful - 0
976897 tn?1379167602
"If EECP is 65% effective, the results are self-evident for efficacy "

I think one has to be very wise here because many clinics state different research results. I have actually seen a range between 31-75% success rates and none have stated where the research was done and by whom. EECP is not a long term solution either, but again it depends who you believe. I have read ranges between 1-5 years before the effects die off. I believe that the FDA has approved this system and a report stated "With this new indication, we estimate that the percentage of eligible patients within the average medical practice who would likely benefit from EECP could grow from 2% to upwards of 15% to 20%," said D. Michael Deignan, President and Chief Executive Officer of Vasomedical". "These patient volumes would translate into a market opportunity for our cleared indications of an estimated $2 billion in sales and services over the next several years in the United States alone".
"Congestive heart failure afflicts more than 5 million people in the United States alone, with more than 550,000 new patients diagnosed every year. It is the single most expensive disease state in the nation, accounting for more than $40 billion in direct and indirect medical costs"

There is a list of conditions which eecp treatment will be denied. Example of which are recently inserted stents and valve defects.

This is a video showing the treatment in action. As you can see, it does make the patient move around on the bed and I have read it has been uncomfortable for some.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vjU29pxyTlM
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Thanks.

"The power in belief is amazing."Ed34

May I substitute the words 'healthy thoughts' in place of 'belief'?

2.Will you please give more details of EECP therapy?
Helpful - 0
367994 tn?1304953593
I don't have any information on unexplained angina studies with EECP therapy, but my research indictates EECP is effective in about 65% of the EECP procedure population by developing collateral vessels. A placebo can't develop vasculargenesis as a placebo is psychophysiological in application and no pharmacological effects.  

An experimental treatment must show better results than the placebo effect to be considered effective.  If EECP is 65% effective, the results are self-evident for efficacy Also, conservative insurance policies cover EECP.
Helpful - 0
976897 tn?1379167602
I suppose it depends on which source you read. I have read that eecp actually seems to promote the formation of collateral vessels. However, I agree that the placebo effect can cause a huge problem in results for research. I remember watching a test where a Doctor asked 6 patients with sleeping disorders to take part. These participants were lucky to get one hour sleep per night. She told them there was a break through with a new drug which would help them to sleep through the night and each person was given 7 days worth of pills.
After the week was up, the Doctor met all the patients. Guess what, every single patient was sleeping through the night without waking up. What was the new fantastic medication?  sugar pills.
The power in belief is amazing. I wish a Doctor would give me a sugar pill and say its a new drug that stops angina. Maybe it would cure me.
Helpful - 0
159619 tn?1707018272
COMMUNITY LEADER
What do other authorities say about this treatment?

Food and Drug Administration: In the absence of evidence of safety and effectiveness, the use of this treatment for atherosclerosis is investigational. To date, no physician or sponsor has filed a plan or protocol to study its (EDTA’s) use in such treatment.

No party has ever provided us with an organized submission attempting to show that it is an effective therapy in atherosclerosis; instead, we have been handed unorganized data without any attempt to describe a formal study.

Under the circumstances, we have had no choice but to attempt to prevent improper promotion of the drug and to point out its unproven status.

American College of Physicians: Chelation therapy with EDTA has been used in the treatment and prevention of atherosclerosis. Because of the risk of severe renal (kidney) toxicity and lack of objective evidence suggesting therapeutic benefit from EDTA therapy … such therapy should be regarded as investigational and (should be) conducted under carefully controlled conditions in an academic institution by experienced investigators.

National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health: There is no reason to expect benefit from chelation in the management of arteriosclerosis. More importantly, there has been no scientific evidence of such benefit — and there is scientific evidence of no benefit.

American Medical Association: The AMA believes that chelation therapy for atherosclerosis is an experimental process without proven efficacy. They have also reaffirmed their 1984 House of Delegates Resolution stating:

"…there is no scientific documentation that the use of chelation therapy is effective in the treatment of cardiovascular disease, atherosclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, and cancer;

"…if chelation therapy is to be considered a useful medical treatment for anything other than heavy metal poisoning, hypercalcemia, or digitalis toxicity, it is the responsibility of its proponents to (a) conduct properly controlled scientific studies, (b) adhere to Food and Drug Administration (FDA) guidelines for the investigation of drugs, and (c) disseminate results of scientific studies in the usually accepted channels."

American College of Cardiology: There is insufficient scientific evidence to justify the application of chelation therapy for atherosclerosis on a clinical basis. At the present time, therefore, chelation therapy should be applied only under an investigational protocol.

Isn’t it true that practicing physicians and medical organizations oppose chelation therapy because widespread use of this procedure would mean a loss of income to cardiovascular specialists, particularly surgeons?

No. Organized medicine opposes chelation therapy because it’s an unproven procedure and it involves extreme risks to patients who receive it.

The truth is that physicians who treat cardiovascular diseases could significantly increase their income if chelation therapy was a scientifically proven treatment procedure. Many people have atherosclerosis, but only a relatively small percentage develop problems severe enough to require surgery. If chelation were scientifically proven, EDTA could be administered to everyone who had atherosclerosis. Surgery can be done on only one patient at a time. With chelation, the number of patients who can be treated is limited only by the amount of room in the practitioner’s office.


Says it all.......

Jon
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Just a thought.....

The only positive and decisive work on this subject that i've found, which appears safe and may allow the body to reverse the build up of plaque is the dietary approach put forward by Dr Caldwell Esselstyn.

www.heartattackproof.com
Helpful - 0
916737 tn?1243936842
Just a personal opinion. I don’t trust chelation, and I think that EECP is acting more like a placebo in patients with unexplained angina, for the simple reason that unexplained angina has no apparent cause, and logically nothing can be solved if the cause is unknown.

Helpful - 0
976897 tn?1379167602
What is the overall credibility of chelation therapy?

I have been kicking myself since responding to this on another post. I have no idea why, but I confused chelation with eecp. Chelation in my opinion is just a nonsense therapy which clinics are making a lot of money from. A bit like waving a magic crystal over your body to cure cancer.
However, EECP, does look very promising. Many patients who experience angina for no explanation (even with no seen blockages) seem to benefit a lot from the treatment. It does seem to require top ups though.
Helpful - 0
976897 tn?1379167602
Even bio degradeable stents pose a problem, well, one that I can see anyway. A lot of the fat is actually under the natural Lumen of the artery. How can you possibly remove this?  I was given an option by  a cardiac surgeon to treat my LAD other than a redo-bypass/stenting. He proposed to perform a complete 'open end type arterectomy' on the vessel. This involves making a small incision at the base of the artery and pulling out the entire Lumen layer. It can be very tricky and was a VERY risky option. The only bonus would have been to remove ALL the fats and disease, including that under the lumen hidden away. From what I can gather, and even then there are many different opinions, the fats under the Lumen will eventually be removed by the body. However this takes lifestyle changes and medication to ensure you keep your blood chemistry well balanced. So, maybe in retrospect, if an artery has the obvious plaque removed, is stented with a bio degradeable stent, the body will do the rest. I have a feeling it will be one of those things where only time will tell when it hits the public.
Helpful - 0
1209084 tn?1267367406
"A bit of a basic description :)  but not really practical. The problem is, the lining is made from living cells and you can't just split a cell in half to align it to the cell, or missing cell, next door."

Meh.  Good thing I'm an amateur plumber and not a cardiologist.  I guess the Tim The Tool Man Taylor wing of the Mayo Clinic I'd planned to leave some of my millions of virtual dollars to build is out of the question now ... ;)

Your observation that current stenting technology can place additional strain on an artery seems to be a sound one.  All that plaque and corruption and rough material has to go somewhere, and in the case of stenting, it simply gets crushed outward into the walls of the artery the stent is presumably designed to protect. That couldn't be good in the long term because any stent by design narrows and compromises the artery in which it is placed.

I will say I've never been comfortable with the whole idea of non-biodegradable stents in the first place.  In their current form, much like your chronically unemployed brother-in-law, stents remain there forever, drinking your last beer and leaving disgusting smells in your living room couch as they eat Chee-tos and watch Youtube videos all day long. The idea of a biodegradable stent that does its job then goes away is much more attractive to me from an engineering and a medical standpoint.
Helpful - 0
2
Have an Answer?

You are reading content posted in the Heart Disease Community

Top Heart Disease Answerers
159619 tn?1707018272
Salt Lake City, UT
11548417 tn?1506080564
Netherlands
Learn About Top Answerers
Didn't find the answer you were looking for?
Ask a question
Popular Resources
Is a low-fat diet really that heart healthy after all? James D. Nicolantonio, PharmD, urges us to reconsider decades-long dietary guidelines.
Can depression and anxiety cause heart disease? Get the facts in this Missouri Medicine report.
Fish oil, folic acid, vitamin C. Find out if these supplements are heart-healthy or overhyped.
Learn what happens before, during and after a heart attack occurs.
What are the pros and cons of taking fish oil for heart health? Find out in this article from Missouri Medicine.
How to lower your heart attack risk.