2012 focused update of the ESC Guidelines for the management of atrial fibrillation: an update of the 2010 ESC Guidelines for the management of atrial fibrillation. Developed with the special contribution of the European Heart Rhythm Association.

ACCF : American College of Cardiology Foundation ACCP : American College of Chest Physicians ACS : acute coronary syndrome ACT : Atrial arrhythmia Conversion Trial ADONIS : American–Australian–African trial with DronedarONe In atrial fibrillation or flutter for the maintenance of Sinus rhythm AF : atrial fibrillation AHA : American Heart Association ANDROMEDA : ANtiarrhythmic trial with DROnedarone in Moderate-to-severe congestive heart failure Evaluating morbidity DecreAse APHRS : Asia Pacific Heart Rhythm Society aPTT : activated partial thromboplastin time ARB : angiotensin-receptor blocker ARISTOTLE : Apixaban for Reduction In STroke and Other ThromboemboLic Events in atrial fibrillation ATHENA : A placebo-controlled, double-blind, parallel arm Trial to assess the efficacy of dronedarone 400 mg b.i. d. for the prevention of cardiovascular Hospitalization or death from any cause in patiENts with Atrial fibrillation/atrial flutter ATRIA : AnTicoagulation and Risk factors In Atrial fibrillation AVERROES : Apixaban VErsus acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) to Reduce the Rate Of Embolic Stroke in atrial fibrillation patients who have failed or are unsuitable for vitamin K antagonist treatment AVRO : A prospective, randomized, double-blind, Active-controlled, superiority study of Vernakalant vs. amiodarone in Recent Onset atrial fibrillation b.i. d : bis in die (twice daily) b.p.m. : beats per minute CABANA : Catheter ABlation vs . ANtiarrhythmic drug therapy for Atrial fibrillation CABG : coronary artery bypass graft CAP : Continued Access to Protect AF CHA2DS2-VASc : Congestive heart failure or left ventricular dysfunction Hypertension, Age ≥75 (doubled), Diabetes, Stroke (doubled)-Vascular disease, Age 65–74, Sex category (female) CHADS2 : Congestive heart failure, Hypertension, Age ≥75, Diabetes, Stroke (doubled) CI : confidence interval CRAFT : Controlled Randomized Atrial Fibrillation Trial CrCl : creatinine clearance DAFNE : Dronedarone Atrial FibrillatioN study after Electrical cardioversion DIONYSOS : Randomized Double blind trIal to evaluate efficacy and safety of drOnedarone (400 mg b.i.d.) vs . amiodaroNe (600 mg q.d. for 28 daYS, then 200 mg qd thereafter) for at least 6 mOnths for the maintenance of Sinus rhythm in patients with atrial fibrillation EAST : Early treatment of Atrial fibrillation for Stroke prevention Trial EHRA : European Heart Rhythm Association ECG : electrocardiogram EMA : European Medicines Agency ERATO : Efficacy and safety of dRonedArone for The cOntrol of ventricular rate during atrial fibrillation EURIDIS : EURopean trial In atrial fibrillation or flutter patients receiving Dronedarone for the maIntenance of Sinus rhythm FAST : atrial Fibrillation catheter Ablation vs . Surgical ablation Treatment FDA : Food and Drug Administration Flec-SL : Flecainide Short-Long trial HAS-BLED : Hypertension, Abnormal renal/liver function, Stroke, Bleeding history or predisposition, Labile INR, Elderly, Drugs/alcohol concomitantly HF-PEF : heart failure with preserved ejection fraction HF-REF : heart failure with reduced ejection fraction HR : hazard ratio HRS : Heart Rhythm Society ICH : intracranial haemorrhage INR : international normalized ratio i.v. : intravenous J-RHYTHM : Japanese RHYTHM management trial for atrial fibrillation LAA : left atrial appendage LoE : level of evidence LVEF : left ventricular ejection fraction MANTRA-PAF : Medical ANtiarrhythmic Treatment or Radiofrequency Ablation in Paroxysmal Atrial Fibrillation NICE : National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence NOAC : novel oral anticoagulant NSAID : non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug NYHA : New York Heart Association OAC : oral anticoagulant or oral anticoagulation o.d. : omni die (every day) PALLAS : Permanent Atrial fibriLLAtion outcome Study using dronedarone on top of standard therapy PCI : percutaneous coronary intervention PREVAIL : Prospective Randomized EVAluation of the LAA closure device In patients with atrial fibrillation v s. Long-term warfarin therapy PROTECT AF : WATCHMAN LAA system for embolic PROTECTion in patients with Atrial Fibrillation PT : prothrombin time RAAFT : Radio frequency Ablation Atrial Fibrillation Trial RE-LY : Randomized Evaluation of Long-term anticoagulant therapY with dabigatran etexilate ROCKET-AF : Rivaroxaban Once daily oral direct factor Xa inhibition Compared with vitamin K antagonism for prevention of stroke and Embolism Trial in atrial fibrillation RRR : relative risk reduction TE : thromboembolism TIA : transient ischaemic attack t.i. d. : ter in die (three times daily) TOE : transoesophageal echocardiogram TTR : time in therapeutic range VKA : vitamin K antagonist Guidelines summarize and evaluate all currently available evidence on a particular issue with the aim of assisting physicians in selecting the best management strategy for an individual patient suffering from a given condition, taking into account the impact on …