Heart & Cardiovascular
Your heart and blood vessels work every second of every day, and simple measures can tell you a lot about how they are doing. Our free heart and cardiovascular tools help you understand blood pressure, heart rate, cholesterol ratio and related measures — clearly and without jargon. These tools are educational and support, but do not replace, advice from your doctor, who interprets your results in the context of your overall health.
Heart Rate Zone Calculator
Find your maximum heart rate and the five training zones that help you exercise at the right intensity for fat burning, endurance and performance.
Target Heart Rate Calculator (Karvonen)
Calculate personalised target heart rate zones using the Karvonen method, which factors in your resting heart rate for more accurate training intensities.
Cholesterol Ratio Calculator
Calculate your total cholesterol to HDL ratio — a strong predictor of cardiovascular risk that doctors use alongside individual cholesterol numbers.
Resting Heart Rate Checker
Find out what your resting heart rate says about your cardiovascular health and fitness. Understand whether your pulse is in a healthy range.
Mean Arterial Pressure (MAP) Calculator
Calculate your mean arterial pressure — the average pressure in your arteries through one heartbeat, and a key indicator of whether your organs are getting enough blood flow.
Pulse Pressure Calculator
Calculate your pulse pressure — the difference between your systolic and diastolic blood pressure — and learn what it reveals about your arterial health.
Blood Pressure Checker
Enter your blood pressure reading to understand what it means, based on ACC/AHA categories.
Maximum Heart Rate Calculator
Estimate your maximum heart rate by age and see your moderate and vigorous exercise heart rate zones for safer, more effective training.
Understanding your cardiovascular numbers
Several simple numbers give insight into heart health. Blood pressure measures the force of blood against your artery walls, with high readings over time raising the risk of heart attack and stroke. Heart rate reflects how hard your heart is working. Cholesterol levels, and particularly the ratio between total and 'good' (HDL) cholesterol, help assess your cardiovascular risk.
No single number tells the whole story. Doctors look at these measures together, alongside your age, lifestyle, family history and other factors, to understand your overall heart health. Our tools help you understand each measure and where your value falls, so you can have a more informed conversation with your healthcare provider.
What affects heart health
Many factors influence cardiovascular health, and several are within your control. Not smoking, being physically active, eating a balanced diet low in saturated fat and salt, maintaining a healthy weight, and limiting alcohol all support a healthy heart. Keeping blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar within healthy ranges is particularly important, as all three affect the arteries over time.
Some factors, like age, sex and family history, cannot be changed, but knowing about them helps you and your doctor assess your risk and decide what steps are worthwhile. Even when some risk factors are present, managing the ones you can influence makes a meaningful difference to long-term heart health.
Using these heart health tools
Our cardiovascular tools include a blood pressure checker, heart rate zone and target heart rate calculators, a resting heart rate checker, cholesterol ratio calculator, and measures like mean arterial pressure and pulse pressure. Each helps you understand a specific aspect of heart health and what your numbers generally mean.
These tools are educational and use established formulas and reference ranges, but they are not a diagnosis. If you have concerns about your heart health, or readings that are persistently outside healthy ranges, the right step is to speak with your doctor, who can interpret your results in the full context of your health and advise on any action.
Frequently asked questions
What is a healthy blood pressure?
A blood pressure around 120/80 mmHg or below is generally considered ideal for adults, while consistently raised readings (typically 140/90 mmHg or above in clinic) may indicate high blood pressure. Single readings vary, so the overall pattern matters. Your doctor interprets your blood pressure alongside your other risk factors and health.
How do I lower my cardiovascular risk?
Not smoking, staying physically active, eating a balanced diet low in saturated fat and salt, maintaining a healthy weight, and limiting alcohol all lower cardiovascular risk. Keeping blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar in healthy ranges is especially important. Your doctor can assess your overall risk and advise on the most useful steps for you.
Are these heart tools a substitute for a doctor?
No. These tools are educational and use established formulas and reference ranges, but they do not diagnose. They help you understand your numbers and prepare for a conversation with your doctor, who interprets your results in the context of your full health and advises on any action needed.