Abstract: AIM To investigate the preventive effect of rosuvastatin on preventive contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN) and blood lipid levels in elderly patients with coronary heart disease. METHODSFrom January-December 2014, 114 patients (67 male, 47 female) with coronary heart disease, aged 61-83 years, were randomly divided into conventional treatment group (n=57) and rosuvastatin group (n=57). The rosuvastatin group was given rosuvastatin orally, 20 mg/night for 8 weeks. Blood urea nitrate (BUN) and serum creatinine (SCr) levels were measured in both groups, respectively, before surgery and 24 h, 72 days and 7 days after surgery. Endogenous creatinine clearance rate (CCr) was calculated and blood lipid levels were tested at the same time. RESULTSNo difference in renal function was observed between conventional group and rosuvastatin group before surgery; however, serum lipids were significantly lower in the rosuvastatin group (P<0.05, P<0.01). In the conventional treatment group, BUN and SCr 24 h and 72 h after surgery were significantly higher than those before surgery (P<0.05, P<0.01), CCr decreased significantly (P<0.01) and no significant change was found in blood lipids. These changes returned to normal after 7 days. In the rosuvastatin group, SCr increased (P<0.05) and no significant change was found in BUN and CCr 24 h and 72 h after surgery. There were six cases (11%) of CIN in the conventional group and they recovered after 7 days, and no CIN case in the rosuvastatin group. There were no significant changes in blood lipids in both groups before and after surgery. Difference in the incidence of adverse reactions between groups was not statistically significant. CONCLUSIONRosuvastatin reduces the effect of serum lipids and has a beneficial preventive effect of CIN in elderly patients with coronary heart disease.