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

Those who have a stroke are 35% less likely to have another if drugs given earlier than they are now, research finds

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.