Health risk tools
AHA PREVENT™: heart risk, explained
We don’t calculate PREVENT on this page. Use the official AHA PREVENT calculator ↗. This page helps you understand the result and prepare your numbers.
What it estimates
The chance of a first cardiovascular event in people without known heart disease: total cardiovascular disease, ASCVD (heart attack, stroke) and heart failure, over 10 years (ages 30–79) and 30 years (ages 30–59). It does not use race.
Get your numbers ready
- Sex and age (30–79)
- Total cholesterol and HDL cholesterol
- Systolic (top) blood pressure
- BMI, or height and weight
- eGFR (on your lab report under kidney / creatinine)
- Diabetes, current smoking, blood-pressure medicine, statin: yes or no
- Optional: urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR), HbA1c, ZIP code
10-year ASCVD risk bands
| Low | <3% |
| Borderline | 3–<5% |
| Intermediate | 5–<10% |
| High | ≥10% |
Ages 30–59 with a low 10-year risk: also look at your 30-year risk with a clinician. Bands apply to the ASCVD result only.
What your PREVENT score leaves out
- Lp(a) (guideline: measure once in every adult)
- Coronary artery calcium (CAC)
- ApoB
- hs-CRP (a risk enhancer at borderline risk when ≥2 mg/L on two tests)
- Family history of premature heart disease
- Pregnancy history / early menopause
- Known subclinical atherosclerosis
Where it does not apply
- Prior heart attack, stroke, stent/bypass, or heart failure.
- Under 30 or over 79; LDL 190 mg/dL or more; pregnancy.
- Values outside its ranges (SBP 90–200, total cholesterol 130–320, HDL 20–100, BMI 18.5–under 40).
Myths
- “The calculator includes CRP or Lp(a).” It does not.
- “Low 10-year risk means I’m safe.” Young people can still have high lifetime risk.
- “A lower modeled score means fewer heart attacks happened.” It is a model estimate, not an outcome trial.
Questions for your clinician
Is my 10-year or 30-year risk the more useful number for me? Should Lp(a) be checked once? Would a coronary calcium scan or other test change my plan? Do I have risk enhancers like family history, early menopause, or pregnancy complications?