Peking and Rotterdam on Mission to Reduce Coronary Artery Disease

• • Men or women ≥40 years of age admitted with a clinical diagnosis of ACS. The diagnosis should be based on the combination of typical ischemic chest complaints and objective evidence of myocardial ischemia or myocardial necrosis as demonstrated by the electrocardiogram (ECG) or elevated cardiac markers, as follows:
• Typical ischemic chest pain, lasting 10 minutes or more, within the preceding 24 hours, AND either
• ECG changes indicative of myocardial ischemia within 24 hours after the onset of chest pain (ECG showing persistent or non-persistent ST-segment elevation >1.0 mm in two or more contiguous leads or dynamic ST-segment depression >1.0 mm in two or more contiguous leads) or

• Elevated biomarkers of myocardial necrosis within 24 hours after the onset of chest pain (i.e. CK-MB >1 times the upper limit of normal of the local laboratory, or Troponin-T >0.1 ng/ml.

  • A diagnosis of DM type II prior to the index ACS
  • Written informed consent

Exclusion Criteria:

• • Myocardial ischemia precipitated by a condition other than atherosclerotic coronary artery disease (e.g. arrhythmia, severe anemia, hypoxia, thyrotoxicosis, cocaine, severe valvular disease, hypotension).

    • Severely-impaired left ventricular function (ejection fraction \<30%) or end-stage congestive heart failure NYHA-class III or IV (in order to avoid lost-to-follow-up due to non-acute coronary syndrome events).
    • Severe chronic kidney disease with measured or calculated glomerular filtration rate (Cockgroft-Gault or MDRD4 (Modification of Diet in Renal Disease) formula) of \<30 ml/min/1.73m2, or renal dialysis.
    • Co-existent condition associated with a life-expectancy \<12 months, or otherwise unlikely to appear at all scheduled follow-up visits.
    • Known serious or hypersensitivity reactions to HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors.
    • Triglyceride (TG) level ≥500 mg/dL (5.65 mmol/L) at screening, because patients with very high triglyceride levels warrant treatment with agents that may increase the risk of side effects associated with statin drugs.
    • Active liver disease or hepatic dysfunction, as determined by alanine aminotransferase (ALT [SGPT]) >3 x ULN or bilirubin levels >1.5 x ULN at screening.
    • Myopathy.
    • Not using effective contraceptive methods.
    • Participation in any investigational drug study less than 30 days prior to enrolment.