Aim To find the distribution of ankle-brachial index(ABI) and prevalence of peripheral arterial disease(PAD) among Chinese inpatients with equal-risk to coronary heart disease.Methods 2 509 inpatients with equal-risk to coronary heart disease were recruited from Shanghai and Beijing(age≥45 years).Associated factors and medical examinations were collected by a retrospective epidemiological survey.At one time,ABI was measured.PAD was diagnosed when the ABI was <0.9,inpatients with an ABI of >1.4 were excluded because of false negative rate.Results Mean level of ABI was 0.96±0.24 and prevalence of PAD was 31.1%(95%CI:29.3%～33.0%)in this study subjects.Prevalence of PAD in male and female were 33.9% and 28.8%(p<0.05),respectively.Prevalence of PAD was increased with advance age among men and women(p<0.0001),whereas mean level of ABI(p<0.0001).Inpatients with high level of total cholesterol,hypertension,ischemic stroke,and diabetes had higher prevalence of PAD in univariate analysis and lower level of ABI.Prevalence of PAD was up to 60.6% among inpatients combined with coronary heart disease,ischemic stroke,and diabetes.Conclusions PAD had universal occurrence in Chinese inpatients with equal-risk to coronary heart disease.Clinicians should attach importance to peripheral arterial disease and strengthen the management of risk factors of cardiovascular disease.