Long-Term Anticoagulation Discontinuation After Catheter Ablation for Atrial Fibrillation

In patients without documented atrial arrhythmia recurrence after catheter ablation and at least 1 non–sex-related stroke risk factor, does discontinuing oral anticoagulant therapy result in superior clinical outcomes compared with continuing oral anticoagulant therapy?In this multicenter randomized clinical trial including 840 patients, discontinuing oral anticoagulant therapy lowered the risk of the primary outcome (composite of stroke, systemic embolism, and major bleeding) compared with continuing oral anticoagulant therapy (0.3% vs 2.2%), primarily driven by fewer major bleeding events.In patients without atrial arrhythmia recurrence after catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation, discontinuing oral anticoagulant therapy was associated with a lower risk of stroke, systemic embolism, or major bleeding vs continuing oral anticoagulant therapy.

Corresponding Author: Boyoung Joung, MD, Yonsei University College of Medicine, 50-1 Yonsei-ro, Seoul 03722, South Korea (cby6908@yuhs.ac).

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