Framingham Risk Calculator
Calculate your 10-year risk of developing cardiovascular disease using the validated Framingham Risk Score. This tool helps guide prevention strategies.
What is the Framingham Risk Score?
The Framingham Risk Score estimates 10-year risk of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD) including heart attack, stroke, and cardiovascular death. Developed from the Framingham Heart Study, it uses age, sex, cholesterol levels, blood pressure, smoking status, and diabetes to calculate risk. Risk categories: Low (<10%), Intermediate (10-20%), High (>20%). Widely used for primary prevention decisions including statin therapy.
How accurate is the Framingham Risk Score?
Framingham performs well in populations similar to the original study cohort (white Americans). Limitations: May overestimate risk in low-risk populations, underestimate in South Asians, doesn't account for family history, obesity, or physical activity. Alternative scores exist: ASCVD for US populations, QRISK for UK, SCORE for Europe. Despite limitations, Framingham remains widely validated and useful for clinical risk stratification.
What should I do with my Framingham risk result?
Low risk (<10%): Continue healthy lifestyle, recheck in 4-6 years. Intermediate risk (10-20%): Consider additional testing (coronary calcium score, hs-CRP), lifestyle modifications essential, discuss statin therapy with physician. High risk (>20%): Aggressive risk factor modification, statin therapy typically recommended, consider aspirin, tight BP control. All categories: Don't smoke, exercise regularly, Mediterranean diet, maintain healthy weight. Always discuss results with healthcare provider.
Why does the score differ for men and women?
Men and women have different cardiovascular risk profiles. Men develop CVD earlier and at higher rates at younger ages. Women have lower risk until menopause, then risk increases. Scoring uses sex-specific coefficients because same risk factors have different impact: age, cholesterol, smoking affect sexes differently. HDL cholesterol particularly protective in women. Sex-specific equations improve prediction accuracy.
Can I lower my Framingham Risk Score?
Yes! Modifiable factors: Quit smoking (major impact), lower total cholesterol through diet/statins, raise HDL via exercise, control blood pressure through diet/medication/weight loss, manage diabetes aggressively. Non-modifiable: age, sex. Even small improvements help: 10% cholesterol reduction can lower 10-year risk by 20-30%. Lifestyle changes work: Mediterranean diet, 150min/week exercise, maintain BMI 18.5-25, limit alcohol. Monitor progress annually.