The duration of study participation depended on the status of the patient at screening:
* For participants receiving atorvastatin 10 mg at stable dose for at least 6 weeks prior to screening, the study participation was to be approximately 17 weeks including a screening period of 1 week, a double-blind treatment period of 8 weeks and a follow-up period of 8 weeks.
* For participants receiving a lipid lowering treatment other than atorvastatin/ or not at stable dose of atorvastatin 10 mg for at least 6 weeks prior to screening, or drug naive participants, the study participation was to be approximately 23 weeks with a screening period of 1 week, a run-in treatment period with atorvastatin 10 mg of 6 weeks, a double-blind treatment period of 8 weeks and a follow-up period of 8 weeks.