Background: Coronary heart disease (CHD) is thought to be associated with a generalized atherosclerotic process, which is a major cardiovascular risk factor affecting arterial stiffness. Pulse wave velocity (PWV) measurement is widely used as an index of arterial stiffness. The aims of this study were to compare PWV between patients with CHD to controls, and to identify the determinants of PWV in patients with CHD. Methods: We measured PWV from carotid artery to radial artery in patients with angiographically proven CHD (Group I. N=68) and age matched controls (Group II, N=49) with automatic pulse wave detector. Multiple regression analysis was done to evaluate the determinants of PWV in patients with CHD. Results: Group I and II differed in baseline characteristics: prevalence of hypertension (42.6% vs. 18.4%, p<0.01), level of total cholesterol (191.8짹45.6 mg/dL vs. 168.9짹44.0 mg/dL, p<0.01), and low-density lipoprotein (131.5짹32.2 mg/dL vs. 109.3짹30.3 mg/dL, p<0.01). There were no differences in the proportion of gender, smoking habits, and diabetes mellitus; and in body mass index between two groups. PWV was significantly higher in group I compared to the group II (9.8짹1.1 m/sec vs. 8.6짹0.9 m/sec, p<0.01). On multiple regression analysis, age and LDL were significant determinants of the PWV (p<0.05). Conclusion: PWV was increased in patients with angiographically proven CHD compared to the controls. Age and LDL were significant determinants of PWV in patients with CHD.