Guideline: People with irregular heartbeat should take blood thinners to prevent stroke

An updated guideline from the American Academy of Neurology recommends that people with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation, or irregular heartbeat, take oral anticoagulants, a type of blood thinner pill, to prevent stroke. The guideline is published in Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. The World Stroke Organization has endorsed the updated guideline. Taking anticoagulants is especially important for people who have already had a stroke or a transient ischemic attack, which is a threatened stroke.