The objective of this study was to calculate estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) based on serum creatinine (SCr) and to estimate the prevalence of chronic kidney disease (CKD) in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) in China. This was a cross-sectional study using data from China Heart Survey (CHS). Glomerular filtration rate was estimated with the Modified Diet in Renal Disease (MDRD) equation. The prevalence of CKD among the 3 513 CHS participants with coronary heart disease was 24.8% (n = 871). Compared with study participants without CKD, study participants with CKD were more likely to have hypertension (49.5% vs 42.8%; P = 0.001), diabetes (43.1% vs 29.5; P < 0.001) and elevated systolic blood pressure. The mean (SD) high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) of the participants with CKD was lower than those without CKD (P = 0.003). Prevalence of CKD among the participants of CHS between different admissions of CHD showed a significant difference (chi2 = 32.012, P < 0.001). On average, participants with a lower estimated GFR were older, less likely to be current smokers, and more likely to have hypertension and low HDL-C. The results of our study suggested a high prevalence of CKD (24.8%) in Chinese adults with coronary heart disease. Our study provided further evidence that patients with CKD should be considered at high risk for CHD outcomes and identifies patients with CKD as potential candidates for aggressive risk factor reduction.