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The first collaborative ESC and European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery (EACTS) Guidelines on Atrial Fibrillation (AF) were published at the start of ESC Congress.1 These multidisciplinary guidelines focus on early detection of asymptomatic AF, recommending both opportunistic and targeted screening for all patients aged ≥65 years, or with stroke or transient ischaemic attack (TIA).

ENGAGE-AF TIMI

While existing risk scores help identify patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) who warrant anticoagulation and monitoring, none are able to predict those who are likely to have adverse effects with warfarin and thus likely to benefit from non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulation (NOAC) therapy. The ENGAGE-AF TIMI risk score addressed this issue, using data from 21,105 patients from the trial with CHADS₂ ≥2.¹

Health economic studies are now assessing the true costs of non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants (NOACs) compared to warfarin. One study presented at the congress by Dr Elizabeth A Magnuson (Saint Luke’s Mid-America Heart Institute, Kansas City, USA) showed that compared with warfarin, edoxaban 60 mg (30 mg dose-reduced) once daily significantly reduced the overall rate of cardiovascular complications and bleeding-related hospitalisations and associated hospitalisation costs. ¹

Smartphones can be used to detect atrial fibrillation (AF) with existing hardware, according to research presented by Mr Tero Koivisto (University of Turku, Finland).¹

His Holiness Pope Francis was delighted to receive a stethoscope from the ESC during his historic visit to the Congress. He was welcomed by ESC President Fausto Pinto. “I thank each of you for the scientific work in these days of study and discussion, but above all for your dedication to so many who are sick,” the Pope said in his address to delegates.