- OZONE: HEART DISEASES

Diseases Associated with Atherosclerotic Arterial Disturbances

(ischemic heart disease, discirculatory encephalopathy and atherosclerotic arterial disturbances of the lower limbs)

The efficiency of ozone therapy in the treatment of the above diseases is associated with 4 mechanisms of action of ozone therapy providing a therapeutic effect:

1.     Influence on the lipid peroxidation processes and the antioxidant defense system;

2.     Anti-inflammatory action;

3.     Hypocoagulation action;

4.     Influence on the oxygen-transport function of blood.

Lowly concentrated medical ozone used in cases of atherosclerotic disturbances increases not so much lipid peroxidation as activates the antioxidant defense system, normalizes a correlation between them and thus eliminates the toxity of lipoproteins and consequently decreases the disturbing factor for arterial wall.

That was verified in the course of investigations into the influence of ozone therapy on the lipid peroxidation processes and the antioxidant defense system in blood serum by biochemiluminescence method.

Ozone used at appropriate concentrations activates the antioxidant defense system, in particular the enzymatic one, by inducing an increase in the activity of superoxidedismutase and catalase as well as glutathione that inhibits the reaction of free-radical lipid peroxidation and prevents ischemic tissue lesions.

The anti-inflammatory effect of ozone is well-known. In this field it can be confirmed by high clinical efficiency achieved in acute vascular catastrophes (acute myocardial infarction, apoplectic attack, unstable stenocardia) as well as by laboratory indices indicating a decrease in the inflammation. The suppression of the inflammatory processes results in the stabilization of atheromatous plaque.

From this point of view ozone therapy can be considered a preventive method as regards the progression of atherosclerotic arterial disturbances.

The investigation into the influence of ozone therapy on the indices of hemostasis and fibrinolysis in patients with atherosclerotic arterial disturbances of different localization showed positive results including a decrease in thrombocyte aggregability, an increase in fibrinolytic activity and hypocoagulation of blood, a decrease in fibrinogen. It is important to point out that this dynamics took place only in cases of changed indices and manifested in shifting average values to the lower limits of standard. Thus, ozone therapy facilitates the normalization of the hemostasis.

The erythrocytes are the main objects of the interaction between ozone and blood. This is because the erythrocyte membrane contains a great amount of phospholipids with the chains of unsaturated fatty acids. Ozone (oxygen atoms) directly reacts with the double bonds of fatty acids by converting them into the short-chained compounds. As a result, the erythrocyte membrane becomes more elastic that increases the deformability and the flexibility of the erythrocytes and improves the flow properties of blood. An activation of the erythrocyte metabolism occurs. With the assistance of the glutathione system an activation of glycolysis takes place, which results in an increase in 2,3-diphosphoglycerate (2,3-DPG) that is the essential mechanism of the therapeutic action of ozone as it loosens the hemoglobin-oxygen bond and facilitates the release of oxygen to the surrounding tissues:

HbO₂ + 2,3 DPG Hb * 2,3 DPG + O₂

Moreover, an increase in the release of oxygen takes place in the parts of tissues with the disturbed circulation.

Ozone does not only improve the transport of oxygen in atherosclerotic ischemic conditions, but also participates in the more deep metabolic processes, in particular, it exerts influence on the oxidoreduction processes, which take place in the metachondrial respiratory chain. This improves the use of arterial oxygen towards the removal of hypoxia conditions and the restoration of cell functions.

In cases when ozone therapy was performed in a treatment cycle as regards discirculatory encephalopathy and atherosclerotic arterial disturbances of the lower extremities, it was used as a monotherapy with ozone-oxygen gas mixtures. However, the patients with ischemic heart disease received ozone therapy within the use of previously prescribed coronary-active medicines, which were continually administered. In these cases with an improvement in the patient's condition the dose of medicines was gradually reduced and if possible they were completely rejected.

Recommended methods of ozone therapy:

·       Intravenous drop-by-drop infusions of ozonated saline solution;

·       Rectal ozone insufflations;

·       Major autohaemotherapy with ozone;

·       Minor autohaemotherapy with ozone;

·       Acupuncture therapy with ozone;

·       Ozone/oxygen gas irrigation by means of plastic bags in high-pressure conditions.

Results of ozone therapy used in patients with atherosclerosis

Cardiac Rhythm Disturbances (Arrhythmia)

The mechanisms of development of cardiac rhythm disturbances are not absolutely clear, in particular, an increase in the lipid peroxidation products in the myocardium is one of the reasons for arrhythmia. The conductive system of heart is less resistant to the disturbing effects of free-radical reactions than the working myocardium (F.Z.Meerzon etc, 1984). The therapeutic doses of ozone increase the antioxidant activity and decrease the lipid peroxidation processes that results in the restoration of membrane structure and electrolyte balance of cardiocytes, elimination of local conduction disturbances. Ozone therapy develops a hypolipidemic effect that in turn decreases a risk of arrhythmic syndrome (A.V.Nedostup, 1996). Along with an increase in gas exchange in the tissues owing to the oxidative properties of ozone, it prevents intracellular accumulation of not-esterified fatty acids and some products with distinct arrhthmogenic activity (Opie, 1984; Rizzon, 1989).

Recommended methods of ozone therapy:

·       Intravenous drop-by-drop infusions of ozonated saline solution

The oxidative therapy leads to shortening of paroxysms, an increase in remission time of sinus rhythm. The echoscopy investigation has shown an improvement in cardiac contractility, an increase in stroke volume and cardiac output per min. It comes to normalization of lipid spectrum, a decrease in fibrinogen, prothrombin index, an improvement in the patient's general condition, an increase in workability.