PURPOSE: To determine the prevalence of purchase of prescribed antihypertensive and/or serum lipid-reducing pharmaceutical preparations among different age groups, from the age of 45, in the Swedish population. Further, to calculate the percentage of the population, from the age of 60, who purchased these pharmaceuticals without having had a circulatory diagnosis in the Hospital Discharge Register the last 7 years, or having purchased nitrate vasodilators, as an attempt to estimate the proportion of primary preventive treatments. METHODS: A cross-sectional study, of individual data on prescriptions for antihypertensives (C02-C03, C07-C09) and serum lipid-reducing agents (C10), dispensed from July to December 2005 for the Swedish population. Data were obtained from the new Swedish Prescribed Drugs Register. The data were related to population statistics, and linked to data on diagnoses of cardiovascular disease (I00-I99), from the Swedish Hospital Discharge Register 1998-2004. Data on individuals with purchase of antihypertensive or serum lipid-reducing agents, but without a diagnosis of cardiovascular disease, were also linked to purchase of nitrate vasodilators (C01D). RESULTS: Among Swedes of 60 years and above, 53% purchased antihypertensive or serum lipid-reducing pharmaceuticals, and 30% purchased the pharmaceuticals without having been hospitalized for a coronary or cerebrovascular event during the previous 7 years, or having purchased prescribed nitrate vasodilators during 6 months. CONCLUSION: Over half of the Swedish senior population purchased prescribed antihypertensive or serum lipid-reducing drugs during 6 months in 2005. The magnitude of the prevalence points to the importance of intensified follow-up of both adverse effects and of effectiveness of these drugs.