CHA₂DS₂-VASc Score
The CHA₂DS₂-VASc score is a widely used clinical prediction tool designed to estimate the annual risk of stroke and systemic thromboembolism in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation (AF). It represents an improved refinement of the earlier CHADS₂ score, incorporating additional risk factors for better stratification, particularly among lower-risk individuals. The acronym stands for: Congestive heart failure (1 point), Hypertension (1 point), Age ≥75 years (2 points), Diabetes mellitus (1 point), prior Stroke/TIA/thromboembolism (2 points), Vascular disease (1 point), Age 65–74 years (1 point), and Sex category (female, 1 point). Scores range from 0 to 9, with higher values indicating greater stroke risk. Guidelines (such as those from ESC and AHA) generally recommend oral anticoagulation for scores ≥2 in men or ≥3 in women, while considering it for intermediate scores, helping clinicians guide decisions on antithrombotic therapy to prevent potentially devastating t...