Together with Dr. Atul Verma, from McGill University, the OCEAN trial, Optimal Anticoagulation for Enhanced Risk Patients Post-Catheter Ablation for Atrial Fibrillation, has found that blood-thinner medications may no longer be needed for patients following treatment for atrial fibrillation. The study, which began in 2013, followed more than 1,200 patients over three years across 56 sites in Canada, Europe, China and Australia.
These findings are significant, as patients are currently advised to remain on blood thinner medications for life following treatment for atrial fibrillation. These medications are routinely prescribed to reduce the risk of stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation; however, they can be expensive and are associated with increased risk of severe bleeding. The OCEAN trial provides evidence that the risk of stroke after successful ablation is so low that most patients can safely discontinue blood thinners one year after their procedure, with aspirin providing comparable results.
Congratulations to Dr. David Birnie and all other collaborations who were instrumental in leading this research. This research was supported by multiple funders, including the Canadian Institutes for Health Research (CIHR), University of Ottawa Heart Institute Accelerate Funding Program, the Canadian Stroke Prevention Intervention Network (CSPIN), and the Brain-Heart Interconnectome, among others.
This article is based on the full article published by the University of Ottawa Heart Institute
Read the study published in the New England Journal of Medicine here