ASCVD Risk Calculator

10-year cardiovascular risk via the Pooled Cohort Equations

Reviewed by the Nutricity editorial teamLast updated:
Calculator

How it is calculated

The calculator uses the 2013 ACC/AHA Pooled Cohort Equations with separate coefficients for white and black men and women. Inputs are age, total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, systolic blood pressure, hypertension treatment, smoking status and diabetes status. Cholesterol is entered in mg/dL.

How to interpret the result

Risk category10-year risk
Low< 5%
Borderline5% to < 7.5%
Intermediate7.5% to < 20%
High≥ 20%

The equations are validated for ages 40–79. Results outside this range are shown but flagged as less certain.

Why it matters

ASCVD risk guides decisions about prevention, including lifestyle changes and, for higher risk, lipid-lowering therapy. For a European perspective see SCORE2; for lipid estimation see LDL cholesterol and non-HDL cholesterol.

What to do about your result

Whatever the result, lifestyle measures matter: not smoking, a balanced diet, physical activity, weight control and blood pressure management. Intermediate or high risk should be discussed with a doctor.

Limitations

  • Validated mainly in US populations; performance may differ elsewhere.
  • Not intended for people with known cardiovascular disease.
  • It estimates probability, it does not diagnose disease.

Related tools

Frequently asked questions

What does ASCVD mean?
Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease — heart attack, stroke and related events caused by atherosclerosis.
Who is the calculator for?
Adults without known cardiovascular disease, to estimate 10-year risk and guide prevention discussions.
Should I use ASCVD or SCORE2?
ASCVD is commonly used in the US; SCORE2 is calibrated for European populations. Use the one appropriate to your setting and discuss with a clinician.

Sources

  1. Goff DC Jr, Lloyd-Jones DM, Bennett G, et al. 2013 ACC/AHA Guideline on the Assessment of Cardiovascular Risk. Circulation. 2014;129(25 Suppl 2):S49-S73.
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