Changes in Plaque Characteristics After Short-term Statin Therapy as Assessed With Coronary CT

Inclusion Criteria: * patients referred for coronary computed tomography angiography (CTA) * females aged 45-75 years and males aged 40-75 years * presence of at least mild coronary atherosclerosis (luminal stenosis \>25%, with at least one partially calcified or non-calcified plaque) * statin-naive patients * ability to understand and provide written informed consent * FFR-CT value ≥0.75, indicating the absence of hemodynamically significant stenosis Exclusion Criteria: * contraindications to coronary CTA * current or prior treatment with statins or other lipid-lowering agents (e.g., ezetimibe) * age below 45 years in females or below 40 years in males * age above 75 years in both sexes * pregnancy or breastfeeding * type 1 or type 2 diabetes mellitus * history of coronary stent implantation or coronary artery bypass grafting * history of myocardial infarction * ≥70% luminal stenosis in the proximal left anterior descending artery (LAD), or ≥50% stenosis in the left main (LM) coronary artery * FFR-CT value \<0.75 in any coronary artery * elevated serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels (\>3× the upper limit of normal) * elevated serum creatine kinase (CK) levels (\>3× the upper limit of normal) * LDL cholesterol level \>5 mmol/L * renal failure or significantly impaired renal function (eGFR \<30 mL/min/1.73 m²) * ongoing oncological treatment * active liver disease * known hypersensitivity to any excipients of the investigational product * concomitant treatment with t…