Apart from their cholesterol lowering effects, statins have cholesterol‐independent pleiotropic actions, such as upregulation of 5'‐ectonucleotidase and up‐regulation of NO‐synthase that may increase tolerance against ischemia‐reperfusion injury (IR‐injury). Several animal studies have shown reduction of IR‐injury as a result of statin treatment in both the heart and the kidney. Recently the investigators have shown, using Annexin A5 targeting after voluntary ischemic exercise to assess IR‐injury, a protective effect of a 7 day oral rosuvastatin treatment. A three day treatment with atorvastatin however failed to reduce annexin targeting.