For patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (AFib) who had no contraindications to taking oral anticoagulants, the use of a device to close off the left atrial appendage in the heart—a small pouch where blood can pool and form dangerous clots—was comparable to standard medication therapy in reducing the combined rate of all-cause stroke, cardiovascular death, and systemic embolism at three years. Moreover, closure of this appendage was found superior to long-term oral anticoagulation for prespecified major and nonmajor nonprocedural bleeding in these patients, according to research presented at the American College of Cardiology’s Annual Scientific Session (ACC.26).
This article was originally published on MedicalXpress.com
