Clinical Calculator
CHA₂DS₂-VASc Score — Stroke Risk in Atrial Fibrillation
Calculate your CHA2DS2-VASc score online to assess stroke risk associated with atrial fibrillation and guide anticoagulation therapy decisions.
Understanding the CHA₂DS₂-VASc Score
The CHA₂DS₂-VASc score is a clinical prediction rule used by cardiologists to estimate the risk of stroke in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation (AFib). AFib causes the heart's upper chambers to beat irregularly, which can lead to blood pooling and clot formation, potentially causing a stroke.
Scoring Breakdown
The acronym stands for the clinical risk factors evaluated by the score:
- C: Congestive heart failure (1 point)
- H: Hypertension (1 point)
- A₂: Age 75 years or older (2 points)
- D: Diabetes mellitus (1 point)
- S₂: Prior stroke, TIA, or thromboembolism (2 points)
- V: Vascular disease (prior MI, PAD, or aortic plaque) (1 point)
- A: Age 65-74 years (1 point)
- Sc: Sex category (Female) (1 point)
Guided Anticoagulation
Clinicians use the score to guide the introduction of oral anticoagulants (like DOACs) to reduce stroke risks. A score of 2 or more in males (3 or more in females) strongly warrants anticoagulation.
Frequently Asked Questions
A high score indicates a high risk of stroke. For example, a score of 6 corresponds to an approximate 9.8% annual risk of stroke without therapy.
Clinical trials show that females with atrial fibrillation have a slightly higher baseline risk of stroke compared to males with similar comorbidities.
CHA2DS2-VASc is an update that includes vascular disease, female sex, and refines age risk, making it better at identifying truly low-risk patients.