Introduction: Atrial Fibrillation (AF) is the most prevalent cardiac arrhythmia in the world with an estimated 50 million people worldwide living with the rhythm in 2020.1 It is expected that, by 2060 in the EU, over 14 million aged 65 years and over will have an AF diagnosis and that the lifetime of risk of someone a of EU descent aged over 55 years of developing AF in their lifetime is 37%, i.e. one in three.2 Whilst there are many aetiologies for atrial fibrillation, including valve disease, hypertension, heart failure with reduced or preserved ejection fraction (HFrEF or HFpEF), the rhythm is associated with a significant increased risk of mortality and morbidity. AF is associated with a 1.5-3.5fold increased risk of all-cause mortality, a 5-fold increased risk of stroke with AF accounting for 20-30% of all ischaemic strokes and an annual hospitalisation rate of 10-40%.2
The overall management of atrial fibrillation can be neatly summarised by either the SOS or ABC mnemonic quoted in the American or European Guidelines respectively.1,2 In the SOS nomenclature
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