Lifestyle overhaul may keep atrial fibrillation at bay

NCT ID NCT03682991

First seen Feb 24, 2026 · Last updated Jun 22, 2026 · Updated 17 times

Summary

This study tests whether intensive lifestyle changes—like treating sleep apnea, cutting alcohol, exercising, losing weight, and managing blood pressure—can stop atrial fibrillation (AF) from coming back after a heart procedure called catheter ablation. About 509 people with AF who are at higher risk due to factors like obesity, high blood pressure, or smoking are taking part. The goal is to see if these changes reduce hospital visits and serious AF episodes.

Disclaimer Read more

This is a summary of the original study . Summaries may miss details or leave out important information. Before applying or accepting participation, make sure you have read and understood the full study. Curemydisease.com takes no responsibility whatsoever for anything missed, misunderstood, or acted upon as a result of our summary — we know it does not capture everything.

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Contacts and locations

Locations

  • Foothills Hospital

    Calgary, Alberta, Canada

  • Hamilton Health Sciences Center

    Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

  • Kelowna General Health

    Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada

  • Laval Hospital

    Laval, Quebec, Canada

  • London Health Sciences Center

    London, Ontario, Canada

  • Mazankowski Alberta Heart Institute

    Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

  • McGill University Health Centre

    Montreal, Quebec, Canada

  • Montreal Heart Institute

    Montreal, Quebec, Canada

  • Ottawa Heart Institute

    Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

  • QE II Health Sciences Centre

    Halifax, Nova Scotia, B3H 3A7, Canada

  • Regina General Hospital

    Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada

  • Sacre Coeur Hospital

    Montreal, Quebec, Canada

  • Saint John Regional Hospital

    Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada

  • St. Mary's General Hospital

    Kitchener, Ontario, Canada

  • St. Michael's Hospital

    Toronto, Ontario, Canada

  • St. Paul's Hospital

    Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

  • Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre

    Toronto, Ontario, Canada

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance

Aggressive risk factor control (lifestyle changes including sleep apnea treatment, alcohol reduction, exercise, weight loss, blood pressure management, and smoking cessation)

What this could lead to

If it works, this could show that intensive lifestyle changes help prevent atrial fibrillation from coming back after a heart procedure.

What could go wrong

This is a behavioral intervention, not a drug, so results depend heavily on patient adherence. The study is still ongoing, and it may not prove that these changes alone prevent AF recurrence.

Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

atrial fibrillation

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.