Holmgren C, Abdonb NJ, Bergfeldt L, et al. - Researchers sought to describe causes of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). In addition, they investigated the potential for predicting OHCA in apparently healthy patients. From the Swedish Register of Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation, they assessed 781 individuals (16% women) fulfilling the following inclusion criteria: OHCA with attempted cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) but neither dispensed prescription medication nor hospital care two years before the event. They observed survival to 30 days of 16%. Autopsy was performed in 72%. According to autopsy findings, the cause was cardiovascular in the great majority among OHCA victims who appeared to be healthy prior to the event. Abnormal ECG preceded in a minority that could have been helpful in avoiding the event.