AIM: To evaluate the efficacy of simvastatin on exercise-induced myocardial ischemia in patients with stable exertional angina pectoris and hypercholesterolemia. METHODS: Ninety patients with stable exertional angina pectoris, positive rate of exercise test and hypercholesterolemia were randomly divided into two groups: the therapy group assigned to a 12-week treatment period either diet plus simvastatin (n=45); the control group with diet alone (n=45). All the patients underwent exercise testing before and after the treatment period. RESULTS: (1) Simvastatin-treated patients had a significant variation in total cholesterol, triglyccrides, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol after treatment (P