Those who have undergone successful corrective procedures for irregular heart beats may no longer need to commit to long-term blood thinning therapy, an international study co-led by Canadian researchers suggests.

Researchers behind the study published in the New England Journal of Medicine say the discovery could potentially alter the clinical care of millions of people around the world.

The randomized study involved more than 1,200 patients who had undergone an ablation for atrial fibrillation, a procedure that involves altering the electrical signals in the heart through the use of a catheter. The randomized trial then compared how one group reacted to taking rivaroxaban, a commonly prescribed anticoagulant, with another prescribed low doses of aspirin.

“The guidelines have said that

See Full Page