Know Your AFib Stroke Risk: Understanding CHADS2-VASC Score

Added: 2026-05-19

[00:00:00]There's a tool that helps us predict how at risk someone is of developing those blood clots that we spoke about earlier.

[00:00:06]This is called the CHADS2 VASC score.

[00:00:09]This score is backed by many research articles and by large scientific groups like the American Heart Association, the American College of Cardiology, the American College of Chest Physicians, and many more.

[00:00:19]This tool uses a person's age, sex, whether they have high blood pressure, diabetes, history of stroke or mini stroke, history of blood clots, whether they have certain blood vessel or heart diseases, and do they have a history of congestive heart failure to predict the risk of atrial fibrillation causing a stroke.

[00:00:37]The tool is far from perfect, though it's pretty good and certainly the best current evidence we have for deciding if someone should be on advanced blood thinners or not.

[00:00:47]Being on medications like apixaban can really keep people safe from stroke in many cases, but they also carry the risk of bleeding. So, the decision is an important one with significant stakes.