Stroke Mortality

What Are We Measuring?

Ischemic stroke, which account for about 87% of all strokes, occurs when a blockage in the blood vessels to the brain causes damage to brain tissue. Immediate treatment may minimize long-term disability and even death from a stroke.

Massachusetts General Hospital monitors two measures related to stroke mortality.

• 30-Day Mortality Rate: The percentage of ischemic stroke patients who died within 30 days of admission to the hospital. This rate is adjusted for some factors that influence patient survival, such as age and medical history, but it does not include the single most important factor which is the patient’s severity of stroke symptoms when they arrive.
• 30-Day Post CEA Stroke and Death Rates: Mass General often performs Carotid Endarterectomy (CEA) procedures for patients with or at risk for ischemic stroke due to blockage of a carotid artery. The rates of stroke or death within the 30 days following CEA are displayed below, broken out by patients with or without stroke symptoms caused by the carotid narrowing. All cases are reviewed by an independent neurologist and adjudicated by the Carotid Committee of the Vascular Center. Rates of 30-day death and complications for CEA patients at Mass General are well below the maximum national recommended rate of 6%.

How We Are Performing?

   ★ Performance is statistically better than the benchmark
= Performance is statistically similar to the benchmark
   ▼ Performance is statistically worse than the benchmark