- Male and female patients with established evidence of stable cardiovascular disease (CVD) defined as at least one of the following groups of criteria (A or B) A. Age >/= 40 years with history with prior CV event of prior myocardial infarction or prior ischemic stroke (confirmed by brain imaging study), with onset >/= 3 months prior to randomization and stable in the Investigator's judgment B. Age >/= 55 years with evidence of CVD (stable in the Investigator's judgment), defined as at least one of the following: Coronary disease, cerebrovascular disease or peripheral arterial disease as defined by protocol