Objective To investigate the effects of resting heart rate (RHR) on cardiocerebral vascular diseases (CVD) and all-cause death in the elderly (≥60 years old). Methods This prospective cohort study was performed in 101 510 employees of Kailuan Group who received their first physical examination in 2006 and 2007. Included in the study were 18924 participants aged ≥60 years without arrhythmia, a history of CVD, and use of β-receptor blockers. According to the RHR quartile value, they were divided into four groups:<67 group, 68-71 group, 72-79 group, and ≥80 group (times/min). Data were collected of CVD and all-cause mortality events during follow-up period. Cox regression model was used to assess the association of RHR with all-cause mortality and CVD events. Results (1)During a median follow-up period of 11.18 years, the number and cumulative incidence of CVD events in the 4 groups were 536(11.32%) in <67 group, 479(12.38%) in 68-71 group, 686(12.53%) in 72-79 group, and 618(12.76%)≥80 group, with no statistical significance (P>0.05). The number of all-cause deaths and cumulative all-cause mortality in the 4 groups were 1086(22.93%), 940(24.30%), 1330(24.28%) and 1462(30.19%), respectively, with statistically significant differences (P<0.01). (2) In multivariate analysis adjusted for major conventional cardiovascular risk factors, compared with the lowest quartile group, CVD events and all-cause death in the highest quartile group were 1.06(95%CI:0.93-1.20), 1.07(95%CI:0.95-1.20), 1.07(95%CI:0.94-1.21); 1.14(95%CI:1.04-1.25), 1.12(95%CI:1.03-1.22), 1.37(95%CI:1.26-1.49), respectively. Conclusion Elevated RHR is a risk factor for all-cause mortality in the cohort of the elderly subjects of Kailuan Group.