Arterial Age Calculator

Estimate your arterial (vascular) age and 10-year cardiovascular risk from the Framingham general CVD model, using your cholesterol, blood pressure and smoking status.

Quick Facts

Method
Framingham general CVD model (D'Agostino, 2008)
Ideal reference profile: total cholesterol 180 mg/dL, HDL 45 mg/dL, systolic 125 mmHg, non-smoker.

Your Results

Calculated
Arterial age
-
Framingham vascular age
Vs your actual age
-
Years older or younger
10-year CVD risk
-
General cardiovascular risk
Risk category
-
Based on 10-year risk

Ready

Enter your sex, age, cholesterol, blood pressure and smoking status, then calculate.

About arterial age

Arterial age (also called vascular age or heart age) expresses your cardiovascular risk as an age rather than a percentage. It is the age of a person with an ideal risk-factor profile whose predicted 10-year cardiovascular risk matches yours. If your arterial age is higher than your calendar age, your cholesterol, blood pressure or smoking status are aging your arteries faster than time alone. This calculator is intended for educational and informational use; always review the results with a qualified clinician before making any medical decision.

The formula this calculator uses

The estimate is based on the Framingham general cardiovascular disease model published by D'Agostino and colleagues in 2008 (the laboratory, lipid-based version). That model predicts 10-year risk from sex, age, total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, systolic blood pressure, smoking and diabetes. Because risk depends on a weighted sum of these factors, the same risk can be re-expressed as an equivalent age.

Each factor enters through its natural logarithm and a sex-specific coefficient. Holding everything except age constant, arterial age is the age at which an ideal profile carries your risk:

Arterial age = your age x exp[ (your factor sum - ideal factor sum) / age coefficient ]

The ideal reference profile is a non-smoker with total cholesterol 180 mg/dL, HDL 45 mg/dL and untreated systolic blood pressure of 125 mmHg. To keep the inputs simple, this calculator assumes untreated blood pressure and no diabetes, and it is validated for adults aged 30 to 74.

How to interpret your result

  • Arterial age above your real age means your risk factors carry the cardiovascular risk of an older person with ideal values. Lowering cholesterol or blood pressure, or quitting smoking, brings it back down.
  • The 10-year risk is the Framingham estimate of a first cardiovascular event over the next decade. Common bands are under 10% (low), 10 to 20% (moderate) and 20% or higher (high).
  • Single readings are snapshots. Cholesterol and blood pressure vary from day to day, so use averaged, resting measurements and re-check the estimate as your numbers change.

Important disclaimer

This tool does not constitute medical advice and does not diagnose or treat disease. It omits factors a clinician would weigh, including diabetes, blood-pressure medication, family history and body weight. Do not use it to manage any medical condition without consulting a licensed healthcare provider.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is arterial (vascular) age?
Arterial age, also called vascular or heart age, is the age of a person who has ideal risk factors but the same predicted cardiovascular risk as you. It is derived from the Framingham general cardiovascular risk model. If your arterial age is higher than your actual age, your risk factors are aging your arteries faster than the calendar.
How is arterial age calculated?
This tool uses the Framingham general cardiovascular disease model (D'Agostino, 2008). It compares your profile - sex, total and HDL cholesterol, systolic blood pressure and smoking - against ideal reference values (total cholesterol 180 mg/dL, HDL 45 mg/dL, systolic 125 mmHg, non-smoker) and reports the age at which an ideal profile would carry the same 10-year risk.
Why is my arterial age higher than my real age?
An arterial age above your chronological age means your cholesterol, blood pressure and smoking status together carry the same 10-year cardiovascular risk as an older person with ideal values. High total cholesterol, low HDL, elevated systolic blood pressure and smoking each raise it, and the effect is largest for current smoking.
Is arterial age a medical diagnosis?
No. It is an educational estimate based on population averages for adults aged 30 to 74, and it assumes untreated blood pressure and no diabetes. It does not diagnose disease or replace lab work, imaging or clinical judgment. Discuss your results and any treatment decisions with a qualified healthcare provider.

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