For new or updated text, view the 2011 Focused Update and the 2011 Focused Update on Dabigatran. Text supporting unchanged recommendations has not been updated.

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common sustained cardiac rhythm disturbance, increasing in prevalence with age. AF is often associated with structural heart disease, although a substantial proportion of patients with AF have no detectable heart disease. Hemodynamic impairment and thromboembolic events related to AF result in significant morbidity, mortality, and cost. Accordingly, the American College of Cardiology (ACC), the American Heart Association (AHA), and the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) created a committee to establish guidelines for optimum management of this frequent and complex arrhythmia. The committee was composed of members representing the ACC, AHA, and ESC, as well as the European Heart Rhythm Association (EHRA) and the Heart Rhythm Society (HRS). This document was reviewed by 2 official reviewers nominated by the ACC, 2 official reviewers nominated by the AHA, and 2 official reviewers nominated by the ESC, as well as by the ACCF Clinical Electrophysiology Committee, the AHA ECG and Arrhythmias Committee, the AHA Stroke Review Committee, EHRA, HRS, and numerous additional content reviewers nominated by the writing committee. The document was approved for publication by the governing bodies of the ACC, AHA, and ESC and officially endorsed by the EHRA and the HRS.