Summarizes the top key recommendations from the 2016 ESC Guidelines for the management of atrial fibrillation.
Guideline endorses active ECG screening in suspected AF; leaves open effects on outcomes and implementation.
From the 2016 European Society of Cardiology (ESC) Guidelines for the management of atrial fibrillation, developed in collaboration with European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery (EACTS) (1) Use actively ECG screening and monitoring whenever atrial fibrillation (AF) might be suspected, including in patients with unspecific complaints, in elderly patients, and in survivors of an ischemic stroke. (2) Therapeutic strategies in AF often comprise a variety of options representing reasonable alternatives. Integrated AF care including patient involvement and empowerment, educational guidance as well as shared decision making are key features of a successful physician–patient relationship in AF. (3) Initiate anticoagulation in all patients with documented AF/atrial flutter who have an increased risk of stroke. (4) Stroke risk evaluation is based on the CHADS-VASc score. With a score ≥2 in male and ≥3 in female patients, anticoagulation for stroke prevention is clearly recommended, while in a score of 1 in males and 2 in females, anticoagulation should be considered. No antithrombotic therapy of any kind should be prescribed in patients with a CHADS-VASc score of 0 (males) or 1 (females).
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Atar et al. (2016) studied this question.
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