Complementary Alternative Cardiovascular Medicine

206 Alternative Cardiovascular Medicine
Clinically, application of force fields using noninvasive technology
may be more advantageous than applying current. This possibility has
opened the market to a flood of EM field-generating devices, with a wide
variety of healing claims. Many are unsubstantiated claims, but some of
the devices were tested using contemporary scientific methods, and the
results published in mainstream, peer-reviewed journals. This section
reviews studies in the latter category to determine which EM generators
emit fields with beneficial effects on the cardiovascular system, whether
tested with human subjects or animals, in vitro or in vivo. Therefore, in
some cases, healthy benefits in humans can only be inferred.
Contemporary researchers have used specific waveforms generating
unique frequencies and harmonics, which are designed to specifically
interact with transmembrane ionic conductances, notably calcium ions
(20). A commercially available device, the Diapulse, reduces calcium
efflux from central nervous system (CNS) tissues (21). This device is
FDA approved for postoperative treatment of edema and pain associated
with soft-tissue wounds. A similar low-frequency device was used to
prevent the calcium accumulation that follows spinal cord injury (22). It
is possible that selected EM field therapies that alter calcium ion flux
will have a beneficial effect on ischemia, arrhythmias, and hypertension.
Several studies have demonstrated the beneficial effects of EM fields
on ischemic tissue damage. An early study demonstrated that pulsed
electrical stimulation (35 mA at 128 Hz for 30 min) improved the survival
and reduced the necrosis of ischemia-induced tissue injury in pig
skin flaps (23). In animal studies, EM fields have been efficacious in the
treatment of acute ischemic injury to both the brain and the heart. Using
a rabbit model, an Italian group demonstrated the beneficial effects of a
weak (3 mT) EM field (75 Hz repetition rate) on transient focal ischemia
(24). After occlusion of the carotid artery and 4 h of reperfusion in the
presence of the EM field, ischemic injury was assessed using magnetic
resonance imaging (MRI) and histology. EM field treatment reduced
ischemic injury by 65–69%. The authors suggest that EM field therapy
may be potentially valuable in the clinical treatment of ischemic stroke.
A second animal study by the Italian group used a rat model for acute
experimental myocardial infarctions (MIs) (25). Ligation of the left
anterior descending artery for 1 h was used to induce acute ischemic
injury to the heart. Myocardial tissue damage was evaluated using histochemical
staining. EM treatment for 18 h postsurgery resulted in a
significant reduction in the size of the necrotic area and an increase in the
survival of the most peripheral areas of the infarct. Chronic effects were also
monitored after continuous EM treatment during the next 6 d. Increased
vascular invasion of the necrotic area was noted, with no changes in