Assessing stroke risk – easier than saying “CHA2DS2-VA Score”!

General Practitioner Dr Vivienne Miller takes a look at what’s changed in the recently updated CHA₂DS₂-VAS_C Score for the determination of stroke risk factors from atrial fibrillation.

The CHA₂DS₂-VA Score was updated from the CHA₂DS₂-VAS_C Score last year to exclude female sex (represented by Sc) in the determination of stroke risk factors from atrial fibrillation. The two scores are identical, apart from the exclusion of female sex, which is no longer considered an outright risk factor in stroke from atrial fibrillation, but more of a ‘risk modifier’ of this complication.¹

This means that females being assessed of stroke risk would have an extra point on their score because of their sex, and hence would be more likely to be recommended to have anticoagulation when assessed at being at very low risk. Women with atrial fibrillation are overall at higher risk of stroke compared to men. This is particularly so when they scored 1 to 6 (but strangely, not 3) on the older CHA₂DS₂-VAS_C Score.¹