Aim To investigate the changes of myocardial apoptosis and peroxisome proliferator activated receptor α of aging rats and the effects of atorvastatin on it.Methods 30 wistar rats at 20 month old were divided into three groups:aging control group,high dose atorvastatin group [10 mg/(kg·d)],low dose atorvastatin group [1 mg/(kg·d)] and another 10 wister rats at 3 month old as young control group.Atorvastatin was delivered by intragastric administration for 4 month.Normal sodium was delivered to control group's rats by intragastric administration too.Cardiac apoptosis was evaluated by terminal deoxynucleotidy transferase mediated dUTP-biotin nick end labelling(TUNEL)assay.Peroxisome proliferator activated receptor α protein was detected by western blot.Results ①The expression level of peroxisome proliferator activated receptor α protein in aging control group is significantly lower than that of young control group(P<0.01),atorvastatin upregulate peroxisome proliferator activated receptor α expression obviously(P<0.01);②The density of TUNEL-positive cells in aging group was significantly higher than that of young control group(P<0.01).Compared with aging group,the density of TUNEL-positive cells decreased markedly in both atorvastatin group.Conclusions Atorvastatin inhibits the myocardic apoptosis of aging rats,which may be related with its upregulating the expression level of peroxisome proliferator activated receptor α.