Objective To evaluate the effect of motivational interviewing(MI) on the rehabilitative exercise for patients after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).Methods 132 patients after percutaneous coronary intervention were chosen by the method of convenience sampling from a hospital in Suzhou,and were randomly divided into two groups.The experimental group (n =68) received MI based intervention while the control group (n =64) received routine health education.Results One month after discharge,there were 0,1,0,56 and 11 cases of patients in the experimental group and 0,10,7,35 and 12 cases in the control group who were respectively in the pre-contemplation stage,contemplation stage,preparation stage,action stage and maintenance stage of physical exercise,and the difference was statistically significant (Z =-2.23,P ＜ 0.05).Three months after discharge,there were 0,1,0,56 and 11 cases of patients in the experimental group and 13,12,2,25 and 12 cases in the control group who were respectively in the pre-contemplation stage,contemplation stage,preparation stage,action stage and maintenance stage of physical exercise,and the difference was statistically significant (Z =-3.62,P ＜0.05).Six months after discharge,there were 0,0,0,3 and 65 cases of patients in the experimental group and 20,8,1,1 and 34 cases in the control group who were respectively in the pre-contemplation stage,contemplation stage,preparation stage,action stage and maintenance stage of physical exercise,and the difference was statistically significant (Z =-5.70,P ＜ 0.05).Patients' exercising frequency were all no less than 5 times per week one month,three months and six months after discharge in the experimental group,and were significantly different from those in the control group (x2 =-4.22,-6.10,-7.12,respectively;P ＜0.01).There was also significant difference of duration of physical exercises between two groups (x2 =-4.96,-5.93,-7.24,respectively; P ＜ 0.01).Conclusions Motivational interview can effectively promote patients' willingness to enhance physical exercise and improve their exercise compliance after percutaneous coronary intervention.