Heart Disease and Medical Leeches

Leech Application:

Quantity: first applications 2-3, then up to 10 

Frequency of leech application: first week - daily, then 3 times per week.

How many: 10 applications

* Coronary heart disease, a disease of the heart itself caused by the accumulation of atheromatous plaques within the walls of the arteries that supply the myocardium.
* Ischaemic heart disease, another disease of the heart itself, characterized by reduced blood supply to the organ.
* Cardiovascular disease, a term for a number of diseases that affect the heart itself and/or the blood vessel system, especially the veins and arteries leading to and from the heart. Research on disease dimorphism suggests that women who suffer with cardiovascular disease usually suffer from forms that affect the blood vessels while men usually suffer from forms that affect the heart muscle itself. Known or associated causes of cardiovascular disease include diabetes mellitus, hypertension, hyperhomocysteinemia and hypercholesterolemia.
* Cor pulmonale, a failure of the right side of the heart.
* Hereditary heart disease, heart disease caused by unavoidable genetic factors since birth.
* Hypertensive heart disease, heart disease caused by high blood pressure, especially localised high blood pressure
* Inflammatory heart disease, heart disease that involves inflammation of the heart muscle and/or the tissue surrounding it.
* Valvular heart disease, heart disease that affects the valves of the heart.

Leech Application:

Quantity: 3-4 leeches 

Frequency of leech application: 3 times per week

How many: 10 applications
 

Leech Application:

Quantity:4 leeches, then up to 2 leeches 

Frequency of leech application: 1-2 times per week

How many: 8 applications

Leech Application:

Quantity: 3-6 leeches 

Frequency of leech application: 1-2 times per week

How many: 7-12 applications

Index

The information contained in this webpage is not intended to constitute individual medical advice. Instructions for the use of leeches comes from the acknowledged expert - Y.Kamenev, MD 

Cardiovascular disease was a main indication for leech therapy for centuries. In the first half of the 20th century, it was normal to apply leeches for treatment of stroke and heart attack. The underlying mechanisms involved are the systemic anticoagulative effects of hirudin and the stimulation of segmental reflex mechanisms by the leech bite. After the advent of aspirin for thrombolysis and inhibition of platelet aggregation, the significance of leech therapy rapidly declined. Recombinant hirudin was later utilized and investigated in modern myocardial infarction treatment regimens. Unlike the heparins, direct thrombin inhibitors like hirudin do not need antithrom-bin III as a cofactor. Moreover, hirudins are able to inactivate fibrin-bound thrombin. Because of the strong anticoagulant potency of these biochemicals, a high incidence of hemorrhagic adverse effects occurred in preliminary studies using the first recombinant hirudin analogs (desidurin, lepidurin). The hirudins were therefore initially unable to become established drugs for primary treatment of myocardial infarction. A novel hirudin (bivalirudin) has meanwhile achieved very promising results in clinical trials. Heparin-induced thrombocytopenia type II (HIT-2) is an established indication for hirudin today. Promising new low molecular weight direct thrombin inhibitors for treatment and prevention of arterial and venous thrombosis (ximelagatran, melagatran) are also hirudin derivatives. Regarding the use of natural leech therapy for treatment of coronary syndromes and thrombosis, insufficient proof of efficacy, insufficient pharmacological standardization, and insufficient controllability preclude the use of leeches in these patients.
In the past, leech therapy was commonly used to treat arterial hypertension. The acute and medium-term antihypertensive effects of repeated moderate venesection are known and have been documented in various studies. Likewise, the hypovolemic hemodilution that occurs due to the extraction of blood by the leech can also be classified as an antihypertensive effect. However, modern antihypertensive treatment regimens include a great number of reliable and effective antihypertensive drugs, as well as effective lifestyle changes. Consequently, leech therapy is now largely seen as a welcome adjuvant therapy rather than as a first-line treatment.
The older literature refers to the special benefits of leech therapy in the treatment of hypertension in individuals with a "plethoric constitution." The application of leeches to specific areas of the body (segmental hypertension zones, neck region, etc.) is also described. However, study data on this subject is not available. In principle, the consideration of such nosological aspects in studies of the potential efficacy of leech therapy in patients with refractory arterial hypertension would also be desirable.