Introduction:  Data on real‑life management of atrial fibrillation (AF) in Poland is limited.

Objectives:  The aim of the study was to present data on 1‑year follow‑up of patients from Poland included in a worldwide registry of patients with AF (RecordAF).

PATIENTS AND METHODS A total of 303 patients with recent‑onset AF were included in the study. Treatment strategy (rhythm control or heart rate control) was noted at baseline. Therapeutic success was assessed at 1 year (control of AF, no incidence of cardiovascular events, no switch between the strategies).

Results:  Data from 289 patients were assessed. A rhythm control strategy was used in 70% of the patients. These patients received antithrombotic therapy less frequently than patients in whom rate control was implemented (90.4% vs. 97.6%, respectively, P <0.05), but they more often received class I (19.8% vs. 4.8%, respectively, P <0.05) and class III (20.8% vs. 4.8%, respectively, P <0.05) antiarrhythmic drugs. Therapeutic success was noted in 71.5% of the rhythm‑control group vs. 29.1% of the rate‑control group (P <0.0001), which was related to a better control of AF in the rhythm‑control group compared with the other group (89.3% vs. 56.1%, respectively, P <0.0001). The rate of cardiovascular events was similar in both groups (20.6% of all patients). Progression to permanent AF occurred in 5.9% of the rhythm‑control group compared with the 73.2% of the rate‑control group (P <0.001).

CONCLUSIONS Almost all patients received antithrombotic treatment and the majority was assigned to rhythm‑control therapy. Despite rare use of antiarrhythmic drugs, a rhythm‑control strategy was associated with better control and slower progression of AF, but not with the lower rate of cardiovascular events in patients with recent‑onset AF in Poland.