What are the recommendations for women with AF based on the CHADS2 score?
The AHA recommends anticoagulation therapy for high-risk patients with a CHADS2 score of 2 or higher, as the majority of patients assessed at stroke prevention clinics have this score. Women aged 75 and above have a higher stroke risk, and therefore benefit most from anticoagulation therapy. For younger women aged below 65 with AF alone and no other risk factors, the risk of stroke is lower. Most recent randomized clinical trials of new oral anticoagulants showed better stroke risk reduction and lower risk of intracranial bleeding, with comparable benefit for both men and women.