Prevention check
Should I take a statin? Check the USPSTF criteria
Statins lower the chance of a first heart attack or stroke. Whether the US Preventive Services Task Force recommends one for you depends on your age, four risk factors and your estimated 10-year cardiovascular risk.
About you
Nothing you enter leaves this page.
The ASCVD (Pooled Cohort Equations) estimate from your doctor. Not the PREVENT number from our heart calculator; see below why.
What you will see
Which part of the USPSTF statin recommendation fits you, and what it means.
Educational only, not medical advice. Starting or stopping a statin is a decision with your doctor.
Source
US Preventive Services Task Force, August 2022 recommendation on statin use for the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease.
Validated in
Adults without cardiovascular disease. The recommendation covers ages 40 to 75 and makes a separate statement for 76 and older.
Limits
It does not calculate your 10-year risk; you enter the estimate your doctor gives you. It does not cover people who already have heart disease, LDL above 190 mg/dL or familial hypercholesterolemia, and does not choose a drug or dose.
What the USPSTF recommends
| Who | Recommendation | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| 40 to 75, at least one risk factor, 10-year risk 10% or more | Prescribe a statin | B |
| 40 to 75, at least one risk factor, 10-year risk 7.5% to under 10% | Selectively offer a statin | C |
| 76 and older | Evidence insufficient to recommend for or against starting one | I |
The risk factors are dyslipidemia, diabetes, high blood pressure and smoking (USPSTF 2022). In the 7.5% to under 10% group, the likely benefit is smaller, so the choice depends more on your values and preferences (USPSTF 2022). For people who qualify at 10% or more, the clinician summary advises a moderate-intensity statin after discussing the reasons with the patient (USPSTF 2022).
Who this does not cover
The recommendation is for adults 40 and older who do not already have cardiovascular disease or its signs or symptoms. It does not apply to people with LDL cholesterol above 190 mg/dL (4.92 mmol/L) or known familial hypercholesterolemia, who are at very high risk and are covered by other guidelines (USPSTF 2022).
Which 10-year risk number to use
The USPSTF says the ACC/AHA Pooled Cohort Equations may be used to estimate 10-year risk (USPSTF 2022). Those equations are the "ASCVD risk calculator" from 2013 (Goff 2013). Our heart risk calculator uses the newer AHA PREVENT equations (Khan 2024), which usually give a lower number for the same person: in a national sample, an average of 4.3% with PREVENT against 8.0% with the Pooled Cohort Equations (Anderson 2024). The USPSTF cutoffs were set for the older equations, so do not put a PREVENT result into this check. PREVENT vs ASCVD explains the difference.
Common questions
I am 76 or older. Should I stop my statin?
The USPSTF statement for 76 and older is about starting a statin, not stopping one (USPSTF 2022). Do not stop a medicine without talking to your doctor.
My risk is under 7.5%. Does that mean I am fine?
It means a statin is not recommended for you by this guideline now. Age is one of the strongest risk factors for cardiovascular disease (USPSTF 2022), so it is worth estimating again as you get older or your numbers change.
Also see the daily aspirin check, the diet and exercise counseling check, the LDL calculator, cholesterol levels by age and blood pressure ranges.
Sources
- US Preventive Services Task Force. Statin Use for the Primary Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease in Adults: US Preventive Services Task Force Recommendation Statement. JAMA. 2022;328(8):746. www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/uspstf/recommendation/statin-use-in-adults-preventive-medication
- Goff DC Jr, Lloyd-Jones DM, Bennett G, et al. 2013 ACC/AHA Guideline on the Assessment of Cardiovascular Risk. Circulation. 2014;129(25 Suppl 2):S49-S73. doi.org/10.1161/01.cir.0000437741.48606.98
- Khan SS, Matsushita K, Sang Y, et al. Development and Validation of the American Heart Association's PREVENT Equations. Circulation. 2024;149(6):430-449. doi.org/10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.123.067626
- Anderson TS, Wilson LM, Sussman JB. Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease Risk Estimates Using the Predicting Risk of Cardiovascular Disease Events Equations. JAMA Intern Med. 2024;184(8):963-970. doi.org/10.1001/jamainternmed.2024.1302
Written and maintained by the uncovermyrisk.com editorial team. We do not have a medical reviewer; every claim links to its primary source above. Last reviewed: 2026-10-29. Spotted an error? See About.