The Framingham Risk Score is a tool used to estimate an individual's 10-year risk of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD). This includes conditions like coronary heart disease (heart attack), stroke, and peripheral artery disease. Developed from data collected during the long-running Framingham Heart Study, it assesses risk based on several key modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors.
Risk Factors Assessed:
Age: Older age is associated with higher risk.
Gender: Historically, men have had a higher risk at younger ages than women, though women's risk increases significantly after menopause.
Total Cholesterol: Higher levels of total cholesterol are linked to increased risk.
HDL Cholesterol: Low levels of "good" cholesterol (HDL) are a significant risk factor.
Systolic Blood Pressure: Elevated blood pressure increases the strain on the heart and blood vessels.
Treatment for High Blood Pressure: Being on medication for hypertension indicates a pre-existing risk.
Smoking Status: Current smoking dramatically increases cardiovascular risk.
How the Calculation Works (Simplified)
The Framingham Risk Score calculation is complex, involving specific point systems for men and women based on ranges of the risk factors. Each factor contributes points, and these points are then summed up. The total points are then converted into a percentage representing the estimated 10-year risk of a cardiovascular event.
The original Framingham equation assigns points to each of the risk factors. For example:
Age: Points are assigned based on age brackets (e.g., 30-34, 35-39, etc.).
Total Cholesterol: Points are assigned based on cholesterol levels (e.g., <160, 160-199, 200-239, etc.).
HDL Cholesterol: Points are assigned based on HDL levels (e.g., =60).
Systolic Blood Pressure: Points are assigned based on BP levels and whether treatment is being used (e.g., =140).
Smoking: Points are assigned if the individual is a smoker.
The total points are then used in a specific formula that translates the points into a 10-year CVD risk percentage. Due to the complexity of the precise point distributions and the lookup tables/formulas, this calculator provides an approximation based on common implementations of the Framingham risk assessment.
Note: This calculator uses a simplified representation of the Framingham equations. For precise clinical use, consult the original research or official medical calculators.
Interpreting the Results
The calculated percentage represents your estimated risk of experiencing a major cardiovascular event (like a heart attack or stroke) within the next 10 years. Generally:
Low Risk: Typically considered less than 10%
Intermediate Risk: Typically between 10% and 20%
High Risk: Typically 20% or greater
It's crucial to discuss your risk score with a healthcare professional. They can interpret the results in the context of your overall health, family history, and other individual factors, and recommend appropriate lifestyle changes or medical interventions to manage your cardiovascular health.
function calculateFraminghamRisk() {
var age = parseFloat(document.getElementById("age").value);
var gender = document.getElementById("gender").value;
var cholesterol = parseFloat(document.getElementById("cholesterol").value);
var hdlCholesterol = parseFloat(document.getElementById("hdlCholesterol").value);
var systolicBP = parseFloat(document.getElementById("systolicBP").value);
var treatedBP = document.getElementById("treatedBP").value;
var smoker = document.getElementById("smoker").value;
var resultElement = document.getElementById("result");
resultElement.innerHTML = "; // Clear previous results
// Basic validation
if (isNaN(age) || isNaN(cholesterol) || isNaN(hdlCholesterol) || isNaN(systolicBP) ||
age <= 0 || cholesterol <= 0 || hdlCholesterol <= 0 || systolicBP = 30 && age = 35 && age = 40 && age = 45 && age = 50 && age = 55 && age = 60 && age = 65 && age = 70) agePoints = 15;
// Cholesterol points for Men
if (cholesterol = 160 && cholesterol = 200 && cholesterol = 240 && cholesterol = 280) cholPoints = 11;
// HDL Cholesterol points for Men
if (hdlCholesterol >= 60) hdlPoints = 0;
else if (hdlCholesterol >= 50 && hdlCholesterol = 40 && hdlCholesterol <= 49) hdlPoints = 3;
else if (hdlCholesterol < 40) hdlPoints = 4;
// Systolic BP points for Men
if (systolicBP = 120 && systolicBP = 130 && systolicBP = 140 && systolicBP = 160) {
if (treatedBP === 'no') bpPoints = 3;
else bpPoints = 6; // Treated for HTN
}
// Smoker points for Men
if (smoker === 'yes') smokerPoints = 8;
var totalPoints = agePoints + cholPoints + hdlPoints + bpPoints + smokerPoints;
// Convert points to 10-year risk percentage for Men
var riskPercent;
if (totalPoints = 0 && totalPoints = 23) riskPercent = 50; // Capped at 50% for very high scores
} else { // Female
// Age points for Women
if (age >= 30 && age = 35 && age = 40 && age = 45 && age = 50 && age = 55 && age = 60 && age = 65 && age = 70) agePoints = 18;
// Cholesterol points for Women
if (cholesterol = 160 && cholesterol = 200 && cholesterol = 240 && cholesterol = 280) cholPoints = 13;
// HDL Cholesterol points for Women
if (hdlCholesterol >= 60) hdlPoints = 0;
else if (hdlCholesterol >= 50 && hdlCholesterol = 40 && hdlCholesterol <= 49) hdlPoints = 2;
else if (hdlCholesterol < 40) hdlPoints = 4;
// Systolic BP points for Women
if (systolicBP = 120 && systolicBP = 130 && systolicBP = 140 && systolicBP = 160) {
if (treatedBP === 'no') bpPoints = 3;
else bpPoints = 6; // Treated for HTN
}
// Smoker points for Women
if (smoker === 'yes') smokerPoints = 9;
var totalPoints = agePoints + cholPoints + hdlPoints + bpPoints + smokerPoints;
// Convert points to 10-year risk percentage for Women
var riskPercent;
if (totalPoints = 0 && totalPoints = 25) riskPercent = 50; // Capped at 50% for very high scores
}
resultElement.innerHTML = 'Your estimated 10-year risk of cardiovascular disease is: ' + riskPercent.toFixed(1) + '%';
}