Atrial fibrillation (AF) is associated with a significant risk of ischemic stroke, death and other cardiovascular events as well as with higher medical costs and reduced quality of life [1–3]. The management of AF has dramatically changed after the introduction of direct oral anticoagulant drugs (DOACs) and advances in rhythm control methods, such as catheter ablation [1]. DOACs have been shown to be safe and effective in clinical trials [4–7] and have induced a general increase in prevalence of oral anticoagulation.
