Doctors reviewed many studies to see if closing the left atrial appendage works well for adults with atrial fibrillation. This procedure blocks a spot in the heart where clots often form. The main goal was to see if it works as well as taking blood-thinning medicine called NOACs.
The review looked at nearly six thousand patients across several big studies. In three of these studies, the closure device worked just as well as the medicine for preventing clots. However, one specific study did not show the same level of safety for preventing clots compared to the drug.
Bleeding was a major concern for many patients. The data showed that people who got the closure device had about forty-five to fifty-six percent less bleeding than those taking medicine. This is a big improvement for patients who worry about bleeding risks. Yet, there was a small trend toward more heart attacks or strokes in the closure group, though this was not a definite increase.
