CHA 2 DS 2 -VASc score and left atrial volume dilatation synergistically predict incident atrial fibrillation in hypertension: an observational study from the Campania Salute Network registry

Arterial hypertension is a leading risk factor for developing atrial fibrillation. CHA2DS2-VASc score can help to decide if patients with atrial fibrillation need anticoagulation. Whether CHA2DS2-VASc may predicts incident atrial fibrillation and how it interacts with left atrial dilatation is unknown. We tested this hypothesis in a large registry of treated hypertensive patients. From 12154 hypertensive patients we excluded those with prevalent atrial fibrillation (n 51), without follow-up (n 3496), or carotid ultrasound (n 1891), and low ejection fraction (i.e. 3 and LA dilatation identify high risk subjects potentially needing more aggressive management to prevent AF and associated cerebrovascular ischemic events.