Framingham Risk Calculator
HealthCalculate the classic Framingham general cardiovascular disease risk score from age, cholesterol, blood pressure, and smoking status to estimate 10-year risk.
Age
years
Sex
Total Cholesterol
mg/dL
HDL Cholesterol
mg/dL
Systolic BP
mmHg
Treated for Hypertension
Current Smoker
Diabetes
10-Year CVD Risk
0%
Risk Category
—
Total Points0
Not a substitute for clinical judgment. Statin and antihypertensive therapy decisions must weigh this estimate alongside your full medical history — always consult a cardiologist or qualified healthcare provider before starting, stopping, or changing treatment.
What is a Framingham Risk?
The Framingham Risk Calculator computes the classic 2008 Framingham general cardiovascular disease risk profile, a points-based system developed by D'Agostino and colleagues from the Framingham Heart Study. It converts age, sex, total and HDL cholesterol, systolic blood pressure, hypertension treatment status, smoking, and diabetes into a total points score, then maps that score to an estimated 10-year cardiovascular disease risk percentage using the original published conversion table.
Enter your details below to see your total points and estimated 10-year risk. For the newer ACC/AHA Pooled Cohort Equations approach, see the CVD Risk Calculator; for a closer look at your lipid profile, see the Cholesterol Ratio Calculator.
How to use this Framingham Risk calculator
- Enter your Age.
- Select your Sex.
- Enter your Total Cholesterol and HDL Cholesterol in mg/dL.
- Enter your Systolic Blood Pressure in mmHg.
- Select whether you're Treated for Hypertension.
- Select your Current Smoker status and Diabetes status.
- Review your 10-Year CVD Risk, Total Points, and Risk Category, and discuss the result with a qualified cardiologist or physician.
Formula & Methodology
The classic Framingham general cardiovascular risk profile sums age-band points, cholesterol points (which vary by age band), HDL points, systolic BP points (which vary by treatment status), smoking points (which vary by age band), and diabetes points — all from separate tables for men and women. The total points score is then converted to a 10-year risk percentage using the original published lookup table (D'Agostino RB Sr, et al. "General Cardiovascular Risk Profile for Use in Primary Care: The Framingham Heart Study." Circulation. 2008;117(6):743-753). Worked example: A 55-year-old woman with a total cholesterol of 220 mg/dL, HDL of 45 mg/dL, untreated systolic BP of 125 mmHg, who does not smoke and does not have diabetes, accumulates roughly 6 (age) + 4 (cholesterol) + 1 (HDL) + 1 (BP) = 12 points total, which maps to an estimated 10-year risk in the low-to-moderate range per the published conversion table — illustrating how several moderate factors combine into an overall risk estimate.
Frequently Asked Questions
This calculator implements the classic 2008 Framingham general cardiovascular disease risk profile developed by D'Agostino and colleagues, using a points-based system built from age, sex, total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, systolic blood pressure, hypertension treatment status, smoking, and diabetes. It converts a total points score into an estimated 10-year cardiovascular disease risk percentage using the original published lookup table.
The [CVD Risk Calculator](/cvd-risk-calculator/) implements the newer 2013 ACC/AHA Pooled Cohort Equations, a continuous natural-log formula derived from more racially diverse cohorts, while this calculator implements the older, simpler points-based Framingham system. Both estimate related but distinct 10-year cardiovascular risk figures and can produce different results for the same person.
The original Framingham study found that the relationship between total cholesterol and cardiovascular risk weakens with age, so the points table assigns fewer cholesterol-related points to older age brackets even at the same cholesterol level. This age interaction is a distinctive feature of the classic Framingham scoring system.
Framingham risk factors, including age, smoking, and blood pressure, contribute differently to cardiovascular risk in men versus women based on the original cohort data, so the published scoring system uses entirely separate point tables for each sex. This calculator automatically applies the correct table based on the sex you select.
This calculator classifies a 10-year risk under 10% as low risk, 10% to 20% as moderate risk, and above 20% as high risk, following commonly used general cardiovascular risk thresholds. These bands provide context but final treatment decisions depend on many factors beyond this score alone.
Similar to cholesterol, the impact of smoking on relative cardiovascular risk was found to diminish with age in the original Framingham cohort, so the points table assigns more smoking-related points to younger smokers than to older ones. A 30-year-old smoker and a 75-year-old smoker receive different point additions for the same smoking status.
Yes — the points table assigns higher points for a treated systolic blood pressure reading than for the same reading if untreated, because being on medication for a given blood pressure level reflects a history of more severe underlying hypertension. Select 'Yes' only if you are currently taking blood pressure medication.
No — this calculator is for informational and educational purposes only and simply reproduces a published points-based scoring system. Decisions about starting or adjusting statin or antihypertensive therapy must always be made together with a qualified cardiologist or physician who can evaluate your complete medical history, never from this tool alone.
It has largely been superseded by newer tools like the ACC/AHA Pooled Cohort Equations in current US guidelines, though it remains a widely referenced and studied risk model, particularly for general cardiovascular disease outcomes beyond just heart attack and stroke. Many international guidelines still reference Framingham-derived risk concepts.
Unlike some narrower coronary-specific Framingham equations, the general cardiovascular disease risk profile used here predicts a composite outcome including coronary death, myocardial infarction, coronary insufficiency, angina, stroke, transient ischemic attack, peripheral artery disease, and heart failure. This makes it a broader risk measure than tools focused solely on heart attack or stroke.
HDL cholesterol of 60 mg/dL or higher actually subtracts a point from your total score because higher HDL is protective, while HDL under 40 mg/dL adds 2 points reflecting increased risk. This is the same direction of effect as most modern cardiovascular risk models, though the exact point values are specific to this scoring system.
The total cholesterol and HDL values entered here are the same two numbers used by the [Cholesterol Ratio Calculator](/cholesterol-ratio-calculator/) to compute your total-to-HDL ratio, an alternative way of viewing the same underlying lipid data. Reviewing both together can give useful additional context on your cardiovascular risk profile.
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