Most heart disease announces itself years in advance — in numbers you already have. Answer eight questions to see your risk level and the next concrete step.
Seeing a clinician soon? Bring your five numbers on one page and practice what to say →
Heart risk check
8 questions, a fixed rule, 0 to 25 points.
Moderate. Your responses suggest some cardiac risk factors worth discussing with a doctor.
What you are bringing
Fill in what you know. Leave the rest blank.
A different way to see risk
Cholesterol numbers feel abstract. "Your heart is acting like it's 8 years older than you are" does not. Answer six questions for an estimate — and see how much of the gap is within your control.
An estimate for motivation — not a diagnosis or a validated risk score.
Most people have had these measured at some point. The issue is knowing what they mean together.
Target: Below 120/80 mmHg
Stage 2 hypertension (140+/90+) doubles cardiac event risk.
Target: Below 100 mg/dL
Every 40-point reduction in LDL cuts major cardiac events by roughly 20%.
Target: Below 100 mg/dL
Pre-diabetes and diabetes are major independent cardiac risk factors.
Target: 60–80 bpm
Consistently above 90 at rest is associated with higher cardiovascular mortality.
Target: BMI 18.5–24.9
Central obesity (waist over 40" men / 35" women) predicts cardiac risk beyond BMI alone.
Target: 150+ min/week moderate
Sedentary adults have roughly double the cardiac risk of those who meet AHA guidelines.
Blood pressure is number one on this list for a reason. Our companion site shows where a reading falls and keeps your 7-day home log.
Targets are general population guidelines. Your physician may set different goals based on your full clinical picture.
Women are as likely as men to die of cardiovascular disease — it is the leading cause of death for both sexes in the US. But the presentation, risk factors, and diagnostic challenges differ substantially.
Classic heart attack symptoms — crushing chest pressure radiating to the left arm — are more common in men. Women are more likely to experience atypical presentations that delay diagnosis.
Source: AHA Scientific Statement on Cardiovascular Disease in Women, 2023. JAMA: Mehta et al. 2022.
Several risk factors have a disproportionately stronger effect on cardiac risk in women compared to men.
Diabetes
Diabetes increases heart disease risk 3–5 times in women, compared to 2–3 times in men — an effect that persists after adjusting for other risk factors.
Depression and anxiety
Depression is associated with a 2–3 fold increase in cardiovascular risk in women. It is also substantially underdiagnosed in cardiac patients.
Pregnancy complications
Preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, and preterm delivery are independent risk factors for future cardiovascular disease. These should appear in every woman's cardiac risk history.
Early menopause
Natural menopause before age 45 is associated with a significantly increased risk of coronary artery disease and stroke. Hormone replacement therapy decisions should include this context.
Autoimmune conditions
Rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, and psoriasis are more common in women and significantly elevate cardiovascular risk through chronic systemic inflammation.
Source: AHA Go Red for Women Report 2024; ACC/AHA Prevention Guidelines.
The diagnostic gap
Women presenting to emergency departments with chest pain are 29% less likely to receive an ECG within 10 minutes than men, and 59% less likely to be prescribed aspirin upon arrival. Women under 55 with atypical symptoms have higher in-hospital mortality after heart attack than men of the same age. Knowing your symptoms — and advocating for evaluation — is not overcaution.
Source: Mehta LS et al., JACC 2021; AHA Go Red 2024 statistics.
The standard cardiac panel (blood pressure, LDL, glucose) captures most risk. But several additional factors — some testable, some behavioral — matter substantially and are often not discussed.
Lp(a) is a genetic variant of LDL cholesterol that standard lipid panels do not measure. Elevated Lp(a) — present in roughly 20% of the population — significantly increases heart attack and aortic stenosis risk independently of LDL. It does not respond to statins. A single lifetime Lp(a) measurement is now recommended by the European Atherosclerosis Society for anyone with premature cardiovascular disease, family history of early heart disease, or statin-treated patients who still have events. Ask your doctor if you have never been tested.
ESC Lp(a) Guideline 2022; ACC Expert Consensus 2022
Inflammation — measured by high-sensitivity C-reactive protein — is an independent predictor of cardiovascular events beyond LDL cholesterol. The JUPITER trial showed that people with normal LDL but elevated hsCRP (above 2 mg/L) who received statin therapy had significantly fewer heart attacks and strokes. hsCRP is particularly useful for reclassifying patients at 'intermediate' 10-year risk. Ask your doctor whether your overall risk warrants testing.
Ridker PM et al., NEJM 2008 (JUPITER); ACC/AHA Prevention Guidelines 2019
A coronary artery calcium (CAC) scan is a low-radiation CT scan that directly measures calcified plaque in coronary arteries. A score of 0 identifies people who are very unlikely to benefit from statin therapy; a score above 100 confirms elevated risk that warrants treatment even when standard risk calculators suggest otherwise. The 2019 ACC/AHA prevention guidelines explicitly recommend CAC scanning to guide treatment decisions in intermediate-risk patients who are uncertain about starting statins.
Blaha MJ et al., JACC 2016; ACC/AHA Primary Prevention Guideline 2019
Both short sleep (under 6 hours) and long sleep (over 9 hours) are independently associated with increased cardiovascular disease risk. Sleeping fewer than 6 hours per night is associated with a 20% higher risk of heart attack and a 48% higher risk of developing or dying from coronary artery disease compared to 7–8 hours. Obstructive sleep apnea — which fragments sleep without obvious awareness — doubles the risk of atrial fibrillation and is present in over 50% of patients with resistant hypertension.
Cappuccio FP et al., Eur Heart J 2011; AASM Cardiovascular Sleep Statement 2021
The INTERHEART study of 52 countries found that psychosocial stress — work stress, financial stress, loss of control — accounted for approximately 33% of heart attack risk globally, similar in magnitude to smoking. Depression after a heart attack is present in 20–30% of patients and independently doubles the risk of re-hospitalization and mortality. Cardiac rehabilitation programs that include psychological support have better outcomes than exercise-only programs.
Yusuf S et al., Lancet 2004 (INTERHEART); AHA Depression and Heart Disease Statement 2014
A resting heart rate consistently above 80–90 beats per minute — even in the normal range — is associated with increased cardiovascular mortality, independent of fitness level or known heart disease. Sustained elevated resting heart rate (above 100) warrants evaluation for thyroid disease, anemia, arrhythmia, and heart failure. Resting heart rate below 60 in trained athletes is healthy; below 50 in non-athletes warrants evaluation for conduction disease. Wearable devices now make continuous resting heart rate tracking practical.
Zhang D et al., CMAJ 2016; AHA Fitness Assessment Standards
A coronary artery calcium scan is one of the most useful tests available for resolving uncertainty about heart disease prevention — but it is not for everyone. Four questions show when it adds the most.
Based on 2019 ACC/AHA Primary Prevention Guidelines (Lloyd-Jones DM et al.) and MESA trial data (Blaha MJ et al., JACC 2016). Not a diagnostic tool. Discuss with your doctor.
Are you 40 or older?
Has your doctor described your heart risk as 'borderline' or 'intermediate'?
Do you have a first-degree relative (parent or sibling) who had a heart attack before age 55 (men) or 65 (women)?
Are you uncertain about whether to start statin therapy?
Answer all four questions to see a personalized recommendation.
8 questions. 2 minutes. Know your cardiac risk level and what to do next.
Answer 8 questions to get a personalized cardiac risk level and next steps. Takes about 2 minutes.
Ask anything about heart health. Pick a question or type your own.
Key risk factors and information about heart health.
High blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, smoking, obesity, and physical inactivity are the major modifiable risk factors. Knowing yours is the first step toward reducing them.
Jump to →AFib is an irregular heart rhythm affecting over 6 million Americans. It increases stroke risk fivefold. Symptoms include palpitations, fatigue, and dizziness, but some people have no symptoms at all.
Open →LDL ('bad') cholesterol builds plaque in arteries. HDL ('good') cholesterol helps remove it. Total cholesterol under 200, LDL under 100, and HDL above 40 (men) or 50 (women) are general targets.
Open →The American Heart Association recommends 150 minutes of moderate or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity per week. Even small amounts of regular movement significantly reduce cardiac risk.
Jump to →A first-degree relative with heart disease before age 55 (men) or 65 (women) increases your risk. Share your family history with your doctor so screening and prevention can start earlier.
Jump to →Heart attack symptoms differ between men and women. Women are more likely to experience shortness of breath, nausea, and back or jaw pain rather than classic chest pain. Know the signs for your body.
Jump to →See a healthcare provider if you experience any of these warning signs.
Chest pain, pressure, or tightness lasting more than a few minutes
Pain radiating to the jaw, neck, shoulder, arm, or back
Shortness of breath with or without chest discomfort
Sudden dizziness, lightheadedness, or fainting
Rapid or irregular heartbeat that doesn't resolve with rest
Unexplained nausea, cold sweats, or extreme fatigue
Swelling in the legs, ankles, or feet
Sudden difficulty speaking or weakness on one side
Not another symptom checker. A new way to understand and manage your health.
No account needed. Start the risk check or ask a question right away.
Ask a typed question about heart health and get a plain answer. The risk check itself is a fixed rule set, not AI.
Search the federal NPI registry by name, city or state. It lists who is licensed. It does not rate quality.
Some care for a diagnosed condition can qualify for pre-tax health spending. Your plan decides what qualifies.
Prepare before. Record after. What you enter stays on this device.
Before your visit: make a one-page sheet
Want to practice saying it out loud first? Try a scripted practice visit →
Real-time search of every cardiologist in the United States. Powered by the CMS NPI Registry.
Sister sites that cover the next question a heart check usually raises.
An average of home readings beats one office reading. Log a week, then carry it back to the visit sheet here.
A simple number about how you move. Slower walking is something a clinician can use alongside a heart check.
A worker-owned care cooperative in Boulder, Colorado, where people offer a skill or ask for help.
Start with the risk check: 8 questions, no login. Your result routes you to the right resource.
High risk
See a cardiologist
Multiple risk factors or symptoms need in-person evaluation.
Find a cardiologistModerate risk / post-event
Home recovery support
After a cardiac event, the first weeks at home are often when a family needs extra hands. co-op.care, a worker-owned care cooperative in Boulder, has a short check of what help at home you need.
Start a co-op.care assessmentChronic management
Care coordination
Ongoing chronic disease management, medication support, and family care planning.
See co-op.careSome cardiac care can qualify for HSA/FSA, case by case. Check at hsaletter.com
Evidence-based articles for patients who want to understand more.
Most chest discomfort is not a heart attack — but knowing the difference could save your life. Seek emergency care immediately for chest pain or pressure lasting more than a few minutes, pain radiating to the left arm, jaw, neck, or back, shortness of breath at rest, sudden lightheadedness with chest discomfort, or cold sweats and nausea without obvious cause.
Women are more likely than men to experience atypical symptoms: unexplained fatigue, nausea, indigestion-like discomfort, and jaw or back pain rather than classic chest pressure. This difference contributes to delayed diagnosis in women. The American Heart Association's 2024 statistics show that women under 55 who present with atypical symptoms have a higher in-hospital mortality rate than men of the same age.
Do not drive yourself to the emergency room. Call 911 so that treatment — aspirin, nitroglycerin, ECG monitoring — can begin in the ambulance. Time from symptom onset to reperfusion (opening the blocked artery) is the single most important determinant of outcomes. Every 30 minutes of delay in treatment increases 1-year mortality by approximately 7.5%.
Source: AHA 2024 Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics; Mehta et al., JAMA 2022.
Real questions patients ask about heart health. General education, not medical advice. When you have read them, check what you know.
This information is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Consult a qualified healthcare provider for diagnosis and treatment.
The risk check and the heart age estimator ask about your heart. This asks what you know. Eight questions, each keyed to a line on this page; a wrong tap shows the line and where to re-read it. Nothing leaves your phone.
It measures what this page explained, not how your heart is. For that, use the risk check, the heart age estimator and your clinician. In an emergency call 911; in crisis call or text 988 first.
1Chest discomfort has lasted more than a few minutes, with pain in the arm or jaw, shortness of breath and a cold sweat. What does this page say to do?
2Someone's face is drooping, one arm is weak and their speech is slurred. What does this page say to do?
3What blood pressure target does this page give, and what does it say about stage 2 hypertension?
4According to this page, how do heart attacks in women often present?
5Who do the 2019 ACC/AHA guidelines on this page name as the group most likely to benefit from a coronary artery calcium (CAC) scan?
6What does this page say atrial fibrillation does to stroke risk?
7In the INTERHEART study cited on this page, how much of heart attack risk did psychosocial stress account for?
8How does this page distinguish a heart attack from cardiac arrest?
General education, not medical advice
Check the sources linked here, and confirm anything important with your own clinician.
Medical disclaimer: The information on this website is for general educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. It does not replace a consultation with a qualified healthcare provider. If you are experiencing a medical emergency, call 911 immediately. Always consult your physician or another qualified health provider with questions about a medical condition or before starting, stopping, or changing any treatment.
Same approach, different question. Each one is a real site, not a landing page.