Ulta Lab Tests

Cardio IQ™ ASCVD Risk Panel with Score Most Popular

The Cardio IQ™ ASCVD Risk Panel with Score combines essential lipid testing, Total Cholesterol, HDL Cholesterol, Triglycerides, Non-HDL and calculated components, and Direct LDL, with ASCVD risk scores. Risk estimates incorporate key patient inputs including current smoking status, systolic blood pressure, diabetes status, and whether high blood pressure is being treated.

The following is a list of what is included in the item above. Click the test(s) below to view what biomarkers are measured along with an explanation of what the biomarker is measuring.

Also known as: CARDIO IQ ASCVD RISK PANEL WITH SCORE

10 YEAR ASCVD RISK

10 YEAR ASCVD RISK GOAL

Chol/HDLC Ratio

Cholesterol, Total

Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance that occurs naturally in all parts of the body. Your body needs some cholesterol to work properly. But if you have too much in your blood, it can combine with other substances in the blood and stick to the walls of your arteries. This is called plaque. Plaque can narrow your arteries or even block them. High levels of cholesterol in the blood can increase your risk of heart disease. Your cholesterol levels tend to rise as you get older. There are usually no signs or symptoms that you have high blood cholesterol, but it can be detected with a blood test. You are likely to have high cholesterol if members of your family have it, if you are overweight or if you eat a lot of fatty foods. You can lower your cholesterol by exercising more and eating more fruits and vegetables. You also may need to take medicine to lower your cholesterol.

CURRENT SMOKER

DIABETES

HDL Cholesterol

LDL-Cholesterol

LIFETIME ASCVD RISK

Non HDL Cholesterol

SYSTOLIC BLOOD PRESSURE

TREATMENT FOR HIGH B.P.

Triglycerides

Triglycerides are a form of fat and a major source of energy for the body. This test measures the amount of triglycerides in the blood. Most triglycerides are found in fat (adipose) tissue, but some triglycerides circulate in the blood to provide fuel for muscles to work. After a person eats, an increased level of triglycerides is found in the blood as the body converts the energy not needed right away into fat. Triglycerides move via the blood from the gut to adipose tissue for storage. In between meals, triglycerides are released from fat tissue to be used as an energy source for the body. Most triglycerides are carried in the blood by lipoproteins called very low density lipoproteins (VLDL). High levels of triglycerides in the blood are associated with an increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD), although the reason for this is not well understood. Certain factors can contribute to high triglyceride levels and to risk of CVD, including lack of exercise, being overweight, smoking cigarettes, consuming excess alcohol, and medical conditions such as diabetes and kidney disease.
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The Cardio IQ™ ASCVD Risk Panel with Score test contains 1 test with 13 biomarkers .

This panel provides the 10-year and lifetime risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) using lipid results with anthropomorphic data and family history. 
The ASCVD risk assessment is recommended in the 2013 ACC/AHA Guidelines on the Treatment of Blood Cholesterol to Reduce Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Risk in Adults.

IMPORTANT: For risk calculations to be performed, the following patient-specific information must be provided and recorded at the time of specimen collection:

  • Age: Years 
  • Gender: M (for male) or F (for female) 
  • Height Feet: Feet 
  • Height Inches: Inches 
  • Weight: lbs 
  • Race-African American: Y (for yes) or N (for no) 
  • Systolic Blood Pressure: mmHg
  • Diastolic Blood Pressure: mmHg
  • Treatment for High B.P.: Y (for yes) or N (for no) 
  • Diabetes Status: Y (for yes) or N (for no)
  • Parental History of Diab: Y (for yes) or N (for no) 
  • Smoking Status: Y (for Yes) or N (for no)

The Cardio IQ™ ASCVD Risk Panel with Score is a cardiovascular blood test that combines a focused set of lipid measurements with a calculated ASCVD (atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease) risk score. ASCVD is a category of conditions linked to plaque buildup in arteries, which can contribute to events such as heart attack and stroke. This panel is designed to help translate cholesterol and lipid findings into a clearer picture of near-term cardiovascular risk.

The laboratory portion of the panel measures Total Cholesterol, HDL Cholesterol, Triglycerides, and Direct LDL, and it reports Non-HDL and calculated components derived from the lipid results. In addition, the report provides ASCVD risk scores, which estimate risk based on the lipid profile plus patient information commonly used in guideline-based risk assessment models.

To generate the risk score, the test record includes whether the patient is a current smoker, the patient’s systolic blood pressure, diabetes status, and whether the patient is currently being treated for high blood pressure. These inputs help contextualize the lipid values within a broader cardiovascular risk framework.

This panel is useful for individuals and healthcare providers who want a streamlined assessment centered on core lipid markers and an interpretable risk score, supporting prevention-focused discussions and more informed follow-up planning when appropriate.

When and Why Someone Would Order This Test

Clarifying Heart Disease and Stroke Risk

This panel is commonly ordered to better understand risk for ASCVD-related outcomes, especially when someone wants more context than a lipid panel alone. While cholesterol and triglycerides are foundational markers, the addition of an ASCVD risk score can help connect lab values to an estimated risk level over a defined timeframe, supporting clearer interpretation.

Baseline Screening and Preventive Care

A healthcare provider may order this test as a baseline cardiovascular screening for adults who are evaluating their cardiometabolic health, particularly when there are established risk considerations such as family history, age-related risk changes, or previously noted lipid abnormalities. The test can serve as a starting point for structured, evidence-informed conversations about risk reduction.

Supporting Shared Decision-Making

Because the report includes ASCVD risk scoring, it can be helpful when patients and clinicians are deciding how aggressively to pursue lifestyle changes or other risk-reduction strategies. The score incorporates key health factors (smoking status, systolic blood pressure, diabetes status, and treatment for high blood pressure) to provide context around the lipid results.

Monitoring Over Time

The panel may also be used for follow-up testing when monitoring lipid trends and risk score changes over time. For example, individuals who are working on nutrition, physical activity, weight management, or blood pressure optimization may use periodic lipid testing—along with updated risk-score inputs—to see how their overall risk profile is shifting.

This test is intended to inform risk assessment and planning, not to diagnose a specific cardiovascular event. Results should be interpreted alongside a person’s broader medical history and clinical evaluation.

What Does the Test Measure?

Lipid Markers Included in the Panel

This panel measures key lipid components used in cardiovascular risk assessment:

  • Cholesterol, Total: The total amount of cholesterol in the blood.

  • HDL Cholesterol: Often referred to as “good cholesterol,” associated with cholesterol transport.

  • Triglycerides: A major form of circulating fat; elevated levels can be associated with cardiometabolic risk.

  • Direct LDL: A direct measurement of LDL cholesterol, which is commonly associated with atherosclerotic risk.

Non-HDL and Calculated Components

The report also includes Non-HDL and calculated components derived from the measured lipid values. These calculated values are commonly used to provide additional context for lipid-related risk assessment and to help summarize atherogenic cholesterol burden.

ASCVD Risk Scores and Patient Inputs Used

In addition to lipid reporting, the panel provides ASCVD risk scores. The score calculation uses lipid results along with specific patient information recorded for the assessment, including:

  • Current smoker (yes/no)

  • Systolic blood pressure

  • Diabetes status

  • Whether the patient is being treated for high blood pressure

These inputs help estimate cardiovascular risk in a standardized way and support interpretation of the lipid profile within a broader risk framework.

How Patients and Healthcare Providers Use the Results

Interpreting Atherogenic Cholesterol Burden

Clinicians use LDL (Direct), Non-HDL, Total Cholesterol, HDL, and Triglycerides to understand lipid patterns associated with ASCVD risk. Different patterns—such as elevated LDL or non-HDL, low HDL, or high triglycerides—can suggest different risk profiles and may influence the type of follow-up evaluation or lifestyle focus.

Using the ASCVD Risk Score for Risk Stratification

The ASCVD risk score helps translate lab and patient inputs into a clearer estimate of risk, which can support prevention planning. Because the score incorporates smoking status, systolic blood pressure, diabetes status, and whether blood pressure is being treated, it can help show how both lipids and key health factors contribute to overall risk.

Guiding Prevention-Focused Next Steps

Patients and providers may use results to support discussions around heart-healthy routines, such as dietary approaches, physical activity, weight management strategies, and blood pressure goals. In clinical settings, the results may also inform decisions about whether additional evaluation or monitoring is appropriate based on the overall risk profile.

Tracking Progress Over Time

Repeat testing can be useful for monitoring changes in lipid values and seeing how the ASCVD risk score changes when inputs such as systolic blood pressure, smoking status, or diabetes status change. This supports ongoing risk management and reinforces which factors are making the biggest impact.

The panel can help identify elevated ASCVD risk, but it does not diagnose coronary artery disease or predict an exact outcome. Interpretation should be guided by a healthcare provider within the context of the patient’s full clinical picture.

The Cardio IQ™ ASCVD Risk Panel with Score provides a focused, practical assessment of cardiovascular risk using core lipid measurements plus a standardized ASCVD risk score. By measuring Total Cholesterol, HDL Cholesterol, Triglycerides, and Direct LDL—and reporting Non-HDL and calculated components—the panel offers a clear snapshot of lipid-related risk factors.

What makes this test especially useful is the inclusion of ASCVD risk scoring using key patient inputs (current smoking status, systolic blood pressure, diabetes status, and whether high blood pressure is being treated). This allows the report to place lipid results into a broader, clinically meaningful context.

Used appropriately, the panel supports informed conversations about prevention, follow-up, and long-term cardiovascular health planning. It is an educational, data-driven tool that helps patients and healthcare providers evaluate risk more clearly and decide on appropriate next steps based on the overall risk profile.

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