• Cigarette smoking
• Hypertension (BP >140/90 mmHg or on antihypertensive medication)
• Low HDL cholesterol (<40 mg/dL)†
• Family history of premature CHD (CHD in male first degree relative <55 years; CHD in female first degree relative <65 years)
• Age (men >45 years; women >55 years)

† HDL cholesterol >60 mg/dL counts as a "negative" risk factor; its presence removes one risk factor from the total count.

Second, people who have two or more risk factors determine their 10 year risk for CHD using the Framingham calculator The guidelines provide goals for LDL that should be achieved through medication and lifestyle changes:

1. People who have CHD, or "CHD Equivalent" are considered to be of highest risk. Their goal is an LDL level less than 100 mg/dL. ("CHD Equivalent" are other diseases that cause a risk of CHD similar to that of already having established CHD. These are "Other clinical forms of atherosclerotic disease, Diabetes, or multiple risk factors that confer a 10-year risk for CHD >20%.")

2. The second category LDL goal is to reach an LDL level lower than 130 mg/dL. These are people who have two or more risk factors, and a Framingham 10 year risk for CHD less than or equal to 20%.

3. The third category includes people who have no more than one risk factor, and a 10 year risk (Framingham calculation) less than 10%. Their goal is to maintain an LDL level below 160 mg/dL.

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