-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----
Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
Originator-Key-Asymmetric:
 MFgwCgYEVQgBAQICAf8DSgAwRwJAW2sNKK9AVtBzYZmr6aGjlWyK3XmZv3dTINen
 TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB
MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
 Di+QuqI9vZjsddISezUfnwjignUQ7gZ9MteXsqVdXupxhiDdU+2IRaW2jS/Q4LHx
 R0W+uAy0xidNw2uaJJoNCQ==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001183503-03-000023.txt : 20031114
<SEC-HEADER>0001183503-03-000023.hdr.sgml : 20031114
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20031114144207
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001183503-03-000023
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4/A
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20031110
FILED AS OF DATE:		20031114

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			ROATH KENNETH B
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001183503

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4/A
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-08895
		FILM NUMBER:		031003395

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		C/O HEALTH CARE PROPERTY INVESTORS INC
		STREET 2:		4675 MACARTHUR COURT STE 900
		CITY:			NEWPORT BEACH
		STATE:			CA
		ZIP:			92660
		BUSINESS PHONE:		9492210600

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			HEALTH CARE PROPERTY INVESTORS INC
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000765880
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUSTS [6798]
		IRS NUMBER:				330091377
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			MD
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		4675 MACARTHUR COURT 9TH FL
		STREET 2:		SUITE 900
		CITY:			NEWPORT BEACH
		STATE:			CA
		ZIP:			92660
		BUSINESS PHONE:		9492210600

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		4675 MACARTHUR COURT
		STREET 2:		SUITE 900
		CITY:			NEWPORT BEACH
		STATE:			CA
		ZIP:			92660
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4/A
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>edgar.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4/A</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-11-10</periodOfReport><dateOfOriginalSubmission>2003-11-12</dateOfOriginalSubmission>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000765880</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>HEALTH CARE PROPERTY INVESTORS INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>HCP</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001183503</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>ROATH KENNETH B</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>4675 MACARTHUR COURT</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NEWPORT BEACH</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>92660</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>0</isDirector><isOfficer>1</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther><officerTitle>Chairman of the Board</officerTitle></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeTable><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-11-10</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>M</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>50000</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>34.875</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>294271</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfO
wnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-11-11</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>M</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>75000</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>36.625</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>369271</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</
value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-11-10</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>S</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>50000</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>46.5755</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>319271</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-11-11</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormTyp
e><transactionCode>S</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>75000</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>46.4079</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>244271</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction></nonDerivativeTable><derivativeTable><derivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>34.875</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-11-10</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>M</transactio
nCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>50000</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>34.875</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><footnoteId id="F1"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2006-01-25</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>50000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>0</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeTransaction><derivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><convers
ionOrExercisePrice><value>36.625</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-11-11</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>M</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>75000</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>36.625</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><footnoteId id="F2"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2007-01-24</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>75000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>0</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><
value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeTransaction></derivativeTable><footnotes><footnote id="F1">Vested in 1/5 yearly increments beginning on 1/25/99</footnote><footnote id="F2">Vested in 1/5 yearly increments beginning on 1/24/1998</footnote></footnotes><remarks/><ownerSignature><signatureName>By Kathleen O'Bryan For Kenneth B. Roath</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-11-14</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
-----END PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----