10-Year CHD Risk Calculator

Understanding and Mitigating Your 10-Year CHD Risk

The **CHD Risk Calculator** utilizes data adapted from the Framingham Heart Study to estimate your probability of experiencing a major cardiovascular event (such as a heart attack or fatal CHD) within the next 10 years. This tool is critical for identifying individuals who may benefit most from preventative treatments and **lifestyle modifications**. Your **coronary heart disease** risk is determined by weighting several controllable and non-controllable factors.

Key Factors and Risk Interpretation

The **Framingham Risk Score** model is based on points assigned to your **age**, **gender**, **Total Cholesterol**, **HDL Cholesterol**, **systolic BP**, and status regarding **smoking** and **diabetes**. Higher points equate to a higher estimated percentage risk.

The **CHD risk assessment** is generally interpreted as follows:

• **Low Risk:** $\leq 10\%$
• **Moderate Risk:** $10-20\%$
• **High Risk:** $\geq 20\%$

Understanding your score allows you to engage in targeted **cardiovascular risk** management. Factors like managing cholesterol with a **healthy diet** and eliminating **smoking** can significantly lower your calculated risk over time.

The Importance of HDL Cholesterol

While high **Total Cholesterol** increases your **CHD risk**, **HDL Cholesterol** (High-Density Lipoprotein) is a protective factor. HDL helps remove excess cholesterol from the arteries, reducing plaque build-up. The relationship between cholesterol levels is fundamental to the **coronary heart disease** risk calculation, emphasizing that quality of cholesterol is often more important than the total amount alone.