A team led in part by researchers from McMaster University in Ontario found that rivaroxaban might be a good alternative to aspirin for patients taking blood thinners long-term. 

During the study from March 2014 to March 2016, patients received either a daily 20mg dose of rivaroxaban, a 10mg dose of rivaroxaban, or a 100 mg dose of aspirin. They took these medications for up to 12 months after they had received treatment for their initial clot.

The researchers found that patients taking aspirin had the highest rate of recurrent blood clots, at 4.4%. The rates of recurrent clots for patients taking 20mg and 10mg of rivaroxaban were significantly lower, at 1.5 and 1.2% respectively.

When they looked at bleeding side-effects, there were no statistically significant differences between the treatments. The rates of major bleeding were 0.3% in the group taking aspirin, and 0.5% and a 0.4% in the groups taking 20 mg and 10mg of rivaroxaban, respectively.

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