Earlier blood thinner use may cut risk of second stroke for irregular heartbeat patients

UK guidelines suggest patients with irregular heartbeats who have had a moderate or severe stroke should wait at least five days before starting blood-thinning drugs. Photograph: Martin Godwin/The Guardian

People with irregular heartbeats who have a stroke are 35% less likely to have a second stroke if they are given blood-thinning drugs earlier than currently recommended, research has found.

There are more than 1.6 million people in the UK with atrial fibrillation – an irregular heartbeat. The condition can lead to a clot forming inside the heart, which can travel to the brain, blocking the blood supply and causing a stroke.