CHA2DS2-VASc
Medical abbreviation · Cardiology
| Stands for | Congestive heart failure, Hypertension, Age 75 or older, Diabetes, Stroke or TIA, Vascular disease, Age 65 to 74, Sex category |
|---|---|
| Categories | Medical |
CHA2DS2-VASc stands for Congestive heart failure, Hypertension, Age 75 or older, Diabetes, Stroke or TIA, Vascular disease, Age 65 to 74, Sex category, a cardiology abbreviation.
Stroke-risk score for atrial fibrillation that assigns points for heart failure, hypertension, age, diabetes, prior stroke or TIA (2 points), vascular disease and female sex, for a maximum of 9. Anticoagulation is generally recommended at 2 or more in men and 3 or more in women.
Example: CHA2DS2-VASc 4 (age 76, HTN, diabetes); apixaban 5 mg twice daily started.
Usage notes
Pronounced "chads-vasc." Introduced in 2010 by Gregory Lip and colleagues as a refinement of the older CHADS2 score, it is better at identifying truly low-risk patients; age 75 or older and prior stroke each count 2 points. The 2024 European AF guideline switched to CHA2DS2-VA, dropping the sex criterion, while US guidelines kept the original. Bleeding risk is weighed separately with tools such as HAS-BLED.
Related abbreviations
More cardiology abbreviations
- CAD – Coronary artery disease
- CAS – Carotid artery stenting
- CCS – Canadian Cardiovascular Society
- CCTA – Coronary computed tomography angiography
- CCU – Coronary care unit
- CEA – Carotid endarterectomy
- CHB – Complete heart block
- CHD – Congenital heart disease
- CHF – Congestive heart failure
- CI – Cardiac index
- CIED – Cardiac implantable electronic device
- CLI – Critical limb ischemia
See all 229 cardiology abbreviations →
This entry is for general education and is not medical advice. Abbreviation use varies between institutions; always confirm in context.