Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common cardiac arrhythmia, affecting an estimated 4.5 million people within the European Union. Indeed, the prevalence of AF continues to rise, in view of the aging population and the better management of heart attacks, making it the new "epidemic". Irrespective of a rate control or rhythm control strategy, appropriate antithrombotic therapy is central to AF management, by reducing the risk of stroke and thromboembolism. This overview focuses on the management of AF, with reference to recently published guidelines and describes their application in clinical practice using three clinical case scenarios.