All Articles
Risk Assessment

EuroSCORE II Explained: The European Risk Model Every Cardiac Patient Should Understand

Kunal U. Gurav, MDMarch 2, 2026

What Is EuroSCORE II?

EuroSCORE II (European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation) is a logistic regression model that estimates the risk of in-hospital mortality following cardiac surgery. Originally developed from European surgical data, it has been validated across multiple populations worldwide.

How EuroSCORE II Is Calculated

The model uses 18 risk factors across three categories:

Patient Factors

  • Age, gender, renal function (creatinine clearance)
  • Extracardiac arteriopathy, poor mobility
  • Previous cardiac surgery, chronic lung disease
  • Active endocarditis, critical preoperative state
  • Diabetes on insulin

Cardiac Factors

  • NYHA class, CCS class 4 angina
  • Left ventricular function
  • Recent myocardial infarction
  • Pulmonary hypertension

Operative Factors

  • Urgency of operation
  • Weight of the intervention (isolated CABG, single valve, etc.)
  • Surgery on the thoracic aorta

EuroSCORE II vs. STS: Key Differences

FeatureSTS-PROMEuroSCORE II
PopulationNorth AmericanEuropean (validated globally)
Variables~40-6018
Procedure specificitySeparate models per procedureSingle model, all procedures
Outcomes predictedMortality + morbidity (stroke, renal, etc.)Mortality only
Update frequencyRegularly updatedLast updated 2012

Why Both Models Matter

When STS and EuroSCORE II agree on risk stratification, confidence in the estimate is high. When they diverge significantly, it often points to specific risk factors that one model weights more heavily than the other — and that divergence itself is clinically informative.

WhiteGloveMD calculates both scores for every case, along with the AATS Risk Calculator, providing patients and physicians with a multi-dimensional risk profile rather than a single number.

Calculate your EuroSCORE II and STS scores using our free risk calculator.

EuroSCORE IIrisk assessmentcardiac surgery riskEuropean heart surgery
Related resources
Risk Calculator Second Opinion Quiz All Conditions Pricing
Stay informed.
Expert cardiac surgery insights from the WhiteGloveMD Heart Team, delivered to your inbox.
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. HIPAA-compliant.