Aim To study the beneficial effects of high dose atorvastatin sequential treatment in preventing contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN) in acute non-ST-segment elevation acute myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) patients underwent elective percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Methods One hundred patients with NSTEMI undergone elective PCI were randomly divided into two groups:high dose atorvastatin sequential treatment group (sequential treatment group for short) and control group. All patients were given 80 mg atorvastatin instantly and then 40 mg once a day. On the basis of hydration therapy, sequential treatment group received additional 40 mg atorvastatin at 6 hours before PCI. Serum creatinine (Scr), endogenous creatinine clearance rate (Ccr) and the incidence rate of CIN were measured and compared 24 hours and 48 hours post-PCI. Results The levels of Scr, Ccr had no significant difference in the two groups at all time points. Compared with the preoperative, Scr and Ccr had no significant changes postoperatively in sequential treatment group. In control group, Scr and Ccr had no significant change 24 hours postoperatively, Scr had significantly increased, Ccr had significantly decreased after 48 hours (P＜0.05). Compared with 24 h postoperatively, Scr had significantly increased, Ccr had significantly decreased (P＝0.00). Scr decreased to the normal range after 7~10 days in all patients with CIN. The CIN incidence rate had no significant difference in the two groups (16% vs. 15%, P＝0.585). Conclusion For patient who had used lipid-lowering program before PCI:40 mg/d atorvatatin, the strategy of re-load atorvastatin 40 mg can not reduce the CIN incidence rate.