To investigate the efficacy and safety of percutaneous coronary intervention in patients with coronary heart disease via radial and femoral artery pathways. Total 122 patients with coronary heart disease who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention in our hospital were selected and divided into observation group (n=61, percutaneous coronary intervention via radial artery) and control group (n=61, percutaneous coronary intervention via femoral artery). The perioperative conditions (operation time, puncture time, postoperative bed rest time and hospital stay) of the two groups were compared. Before and 3 mo after the operation, the heart function indexes [left ventricular ejection fraction, left ventricular end systolic diameter] operation success rate and related complications. There was no significant difference in the stenosis degree of left anterior descending, left circumflex artery, right coronary artery, calcification, angulation and target vessel between the two groups (p>0.05). The puncture time, operation time, postoperative bed time and hospitalization time of the observation group were lower than those of the control group (p 0.05). In addition, 3 mo after operation, left ventricular ejection fraction and left ventricular end systolic diameter in both groups were lower than those before operation (all p<0.05). Finally, the incidence of puncture site complications in the observation group was lower than that in the control group (p<0.05). The effect of transradial and femoral percutaneous coronary intervention in the treatment of coronary heart disease is similar, but the recovery is faster, the incidence of postoperative complications and serious cardiovascular adverse events is lower, and the safety is higher.