OBJECTIVE:: To describe recent changes in medication preceding Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest (OHCA) where resuscitation was attempted. METHODS:: OHCA victims were identified by the Swedish Cardiac Arrest Register and linked by means of their unique 10-digit personal identification numbers to the Prescribed Drug Register. We identified new claimed prescriptions during a six month period prior to the OHCA compared with those claimed 12-18 months before. The 7-digit ATC codes of individual drugs were used. The study period was November 2007 to January 2011 RESULTS:: OHCA victims with drugs were older than those who did not claim any drugs in any period (70±16years vs. 54±22 years p<0.001), were more often women (34% vs. 20%, p<0.001) and had more often a presumed cardiac etiology (67% vs. 54% (p<0.001), were less likely to have VT/VF as the first recorded rhythm (26% vs. 33%, p<0.001) or to survive one month (9% vs. 17%, p<0.0001). New prescriptions were claimed by 5122 (71%) of 7243 OHCA victims. The most frequently claimed new drugs were paracetamol (acetaminophen) 10.3%, furosemide 7.8% and omeprazole 7.6%. Of drugs known or supposed to cause QT prolongation, ciprofloxacin was the most frequent (3.4%) altogether; 16% had a new claimed prescription of a drug included in the ¨qtdrugs.org¨ lists. CONCLUSION:: A majority of OHCA victims had new drugs prescribed within six months prior to the event, but most often intended for diseases other than cardiac. No claims can be made as to the causality.