Can you stop blood thinners after an ablation for atrial fibrillation?

Summary: Atrial fibrillation, or afib, is a condition that causes a fast and messy heartbeat. It can make blood pool in the heart, leading to dangerous blood clots and strokes. To fix the heartbeat, doctors often use a procedure called catheter ablation. After this procedure makes them feel better, many patients want to stop taking their blood thinner medicines.

However, doctors warn that feeling better doesn't mean you are safe from strokes. You should only stop taking blood thinners if your doctor says it is safe. Usually, this is only okay for people under 65 who have never had a stroke and don't have other heart risks. For older people or those with a high risk of stroke, the medicine is still needed because afib can come back silently without any symptoms. If someone absolutely cannot take blood thinners, doctors might use a tiny filter device called a Watchman to catch the clots instead.

For more details, see rssapp-health-harvard-edu at health.harvard.edu/heart-health/can-you-stop-blood-thinners-after-an-ablation-for-atrial-fibrillation (opens in new tab)