HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors (statins) represent the most effective class of LDL lowering drugs with an overall positive safety and tolerability profile. They have also consistent benefit in terms of reduced cardiovascular (CV) events in both primary and secondary prevention. Pitavastatin is a new member of the statin class. This review provides a current overview of pravastatin's role in CV risk reduction. In brief pitatastatin has pleitrophic effects as the other statins. It has been shown that it reduces plaque atheroma volume in acute coranary settings. Also the 'real life' evidence gained with pitavastatin in LIVES study, a longterm postmarketing surveillance study in more than 20,000 patients in Japan, denotes an effective CV risk reduction with this new statin.