Framingham CHD Risk
Input age, lipids, systolic blood pressure, treatment status, and smoking history to estimate 10-year risk of coronary heart disease events.
How to Use This Calculator
Confirm patient eligibility
Applies to primary prevention patients aged 20–79 with no prior myocardial infarction or stroke.
Gather required labs and vitals
Use the most recent total cholesterol, HDL, systolic blood pressure, treatment status, and smoking history.
Discuss risk reduction strategies
Results support shared decision-making about statins, aspirin, lifestyle changes, and follow-up intervals.
Formula
Framingham point-based equations assign age-, lipid-, blood pressure-, and smoking-related points separately for men and women. Total points map to 10-year risk percentages published in ATP III guidelines.
Full Description
The Framingham risk score predicts 10-year coronary heart disease risk (myocardial infarction or coronary death) using age, total cholesterol, HDL, systolic blood pressure (treated vs untreated), and smoking status. It remains useful for primary prevention, complementing pooled cohort equations and other risk-enhancing factors such as family history, coronary calcium, hs-CRP, and lipoprotein(a).
Frequently Asked Questions
How often should risk be recalculated?
Reassess every 4–6 years or sooner if major risk factors change (e.g., new hypertension, smoking cessation).
Can I use this for patients with diabetes?
Yes, but diabetes is automatically high risk in some guidelines; consider aggressive preventive therapy regardless of score.
Does it include HDL improvement if >60 mg/dL?
Yes. HDL ≥60 mg/dL subtracts one point, lowering estimated risk.
How accurate is the score?
It provides population-based estimates but may over- or underestimate risk in certain ethnicities. Supplement with additional markers or imaging when appropriate.