Introduction
Heart attack and stroke are leading causes of death worldwide. Doctors use ASCVD risk calculators to estimate how likely a person is to have one of these events in the next 10 years or over a lifetime. ASCVD stands for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, which happens when fat and cholesterol build up inside the arteries and block blood flow to the heart or brain.
This calculator supports two trusted risk models. The Pooled Cohort Equations (PCE), developed by the ACC/AHA in 2013, estimate 10-year and lifetime risk using age, sex, cholesterol levels, blood pressure, diabetes status, and smoking history.1 The PREVENT™ equations from the AHA go further by also factoring in BMI, kidney function (eGFR), and heart failure risk. Both tools help patients and clinicians decide when lifestyle changes or medications like statins may be needed.
Enter your health information below, and the calculator will show your estimated risk, a color-coded risk category, therapy projections, and a full step-by-step breakdown of how the result was calculated. This tool is for educational purposes and should not replace advice from your doctor.
How to Use Our ASCVD Risk Calculator
Enter your health details below to estimate your risk of heart attack or stroke. This calculator offers two modes: the Pooled Cohort Equations (PCE) from the 2013 ACC/AHA guidelines and the PREVENT™ model from the 2023 AHA guidelines. You will get a 10-year risk score, a risk category, treatment scenarios, and step-by-step math for each result.
Pooled Cohort Equations (PCE) Mode
Sex: Choose Male or Female. The calculator uses different equations for each sex.
Age: Enter the patient's age in years. The 10-year risk works for ages 40 to 79.1 The lifetime risk works for ages 20 to 59.1
Race / Ethnicity: Choose White, African American, or Other. This is optional but may affect the estimate. Other races will use the White coefficients.
Total Cholesterol: Enter the total cholesterol level. You can switch between mg/dL and mmol/L using the unit toggle. A healthy total cholesterol for adults aged 20 or older is less than 200 mg/dL.4
HDL Cholesterol: Enter the HDL ("good") cholesterol level. You can switch between mg/dL and mmol/L. An HDL under 40 mg/dL counts as low, and 60 mg/dL or above is best.4
Systolic Blood Pressure: Enter the top number from a blood pressure reading in mmHg. Normal is 90 to 120 mmHg.
Diastolic Blood Pressure: Enter the bottom number from a blood pressure reading in mmHg. Normal is 60 to 80 mmHg.
Treatment for Hypertension: Select Yes if the patient currently takes blood pressure medication. Select No if they do not.
Diabetes: Select Yes if the patient has been diagnosed with diabetes. Select No if they have not.
Smoking Status: Choose Never, Current, or Former. If Former is selected, you will also pick how long ago the patient quit smoking.
PREVENT™ Mode
Sex: Choose Male or Female.
Age: Enter the patient's age in years. The 10-year risk works for ages 30 to 79.2 The 30-year risk works for ages 30 to 59.
Total Cholesterol: Enter the total cholesterol level in mg/dL or mmol/L.
HDL Cholesterol: Enter the HDL cholesterol level in mg/dL or mmol/L.
Systolic Blood Pressure: Enter the top number from a blood pressure reading in mmHg.
BMI: Enter the patient's body mass index in kg/m². If you do not know the BMI, click the "Calculate BMI" link and enter the patient's weight and height to compute it.
eGFR: Enter the estimated glomerular filtration rate in mL/min/1.73 m². This measures kidney function. Normal is 60 or above.
Lipid-Lowering Medication: Select Yes if the patient takes a statin or other cholesterol-lowering drug. Select No if they do not.
Anti-Hypertensive Medication: Select Yes if the patient takes blood pressure medication. Select No if they do not.
Diabetes: Select Yes if the patient has diabetes. Select No if they do not.
Currently Smoking: Select Yes if the patient smokes now. Select No if they do not.
Optional Advanced Predictors: You may toggle on UACR (urine albumin-creatinine ratio), HbA1c, or ZIP code for a more detailed estimate. These are not required.
Outcomes to Calculate: Check one or more boxes to choose which results you want: ASCVD, Heart Failure, or Total CVD. At least one must be selected.
After filling in the fields, press the Calculate button to see your results. Press Reset to clear all inputs and start over.
What Is the ASCVD Risk Calculator?
ASCVD stands for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. This is a condition where fatty deposits called plaque build up inside your arteries. Over time, plaque hardens and narrows the arteries. This can lead to a heart attack or stroke.
This calculator estimates the chance that a person will have a heart attack or stroke within the next 10 years or over their lifetime. Doctors use this number to decide whether a patient needs medicine like statins or blood pressure drugs, or if lifestyle changes alone are enough.
Two Risk Equations
This tool includes two well-known risk models:
- Pooled Cohort Equations (PCE): Created in 2013 by the ACC and AHA. It uses age, sex, race, cholesterol levels, blood pressure, diabetes status, and smoking history to calculate 10-year and lifetime ASCVD risk.
- PREVENT™: A newer model from the AHA released in 2023. It adds kidney function (eGFR) and body mass index (BMI) to the calculation. It can also estimate the risk of heart failure and total cardiovascular disease, not just heart attack and stroke. It provides both 10-year and 30-year risk estimates.
What the Results Mean
Your 10-year ASCVD risk score falls into one of four groups:
- Low risk: Less than 5%. Focus on healthy habits.
- Borderline risk: 5% to 7.4%. The cholesterol guideline puts borderline risk at 5% to 7.5%.3 Talk to your doctor about risk factors that could raise your score.
- Intermediate risk: 7.5% to 19.9%.3 Statin therapy and lifestyle changes may be recommended.
- High risk: 20% or higher. Strong treatment with medication is usually advised.
Key Risk Factors
The main factors that increase ASCVD risk include high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes, smoking, and older age. The PREVENT model also considers obesity and poor kidney function. Many of these risk factors can be improved with diet, exercise, and medicine.
This calculator is meant for adults who have not already been diagnosed with cardiovascular disease. It is a screening tool, not a diagnosis. Always share your results with your doctor before making any health decisions.