Summary. Crude mortality rates have often been used as an indicator of quality of care, but their value is limited without knowledge of the risk profile of the patients. To assess risk factors for mortality in cardiac surgical adult patients was developed a European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation (EuroSCORE). 17 risk factors were weighted for the definitive scoring system. Scoring system was applied in 3 different risk groups. The low risk group (EuroSCORE 0–2) had 30.6% patients with 0.8% mortality, predicted mortality 1.27–1.29%; the medium risk group (EuroSCORE 3–5) had 40.4% patients with 3.,0% mortality, predicted mortality 2.9–2.94%; the high risk group (EuroSCORE 6 plus) had 29.0% patients with 11.2% mortality, predicted mortality 10.93–11.54%. Mean mortality was 4.7%, predicted mortality 4.72–4.95%. Our aim was to evaluate the EuroSCORE in a clinical center where the initial study was not conducted. 269 consecutive cardiac operations under cardiopulmonary bypass, performed in Klaipėda Seamen’s hospital in 2000, were studied. The low risk group had 29.7% patients with 1.25% mortality; the medium risk group had 46.1% patients with 3.2% mortality and the high risk group had 24.2% patients with 15.4% mortality. Mean mortality was 5.6%. In addition we compared our demographic, epidemiological and other data with six largest EuroSCORE national cohorts (Germany, United Kingdom, Spain, Finland, France, Italy). Our experience is that the risk factors are objective, credible, available and resistant to falsification. There are differences in the characteristics and risk profiles of patients undergoing cardiac surgery in different European countries, as well as differences in surgical strategy and decision–making. The EuroSCORE large database provided a unique opportunity to assess the true risk of cardiac surgery and compare a quality of cardiac surgical care.