Objective To study the role of heart rate(HR) variation in predicting the development of heart failure(HF). Methods According to the standard of HF staging system from the American Cardiology College (ACC)/the American Heart Association (AHA), four groups of the subjects were involved in the study: the normal control group (70 cases), HF high risk group(70 cases), cardiac function compensatory group(70 cases) and HF group (32 cases). All subjects underwent the 6-minute walk test. HR before and after the exercise was compared, and the walking distance was recorded. The HR variation and the 6-minute walk distance were compared between different groups. The relationship of HR with the 6-minute walk distance was analyzed. Results The resting HR was higher in cardiac function compensatory group and HF group than in normal control group and HF high risk group (P＜0.05). HR immediately after exercise had no statistical difference between the four groups (P＞0.05). The HR variation degree and 6-min walk distance displayed decreasing tendencies with the gradual development of HF (P＜0.05). The resting HR and the 6-minute walk distance was negatively correlated (r＝-0.311, P＜0.01). HR variation degree and the 6-minute walk distance was positively correlated (r＝0.386, P＜0.01). Conclusions The increase of the resting HR, the reduction of the HR variation degree after exercise and the decrease of the 6-minute walk distance could be used to predict the cardiac function compensatory period and development of HF.