Stroke Mortality Rate Higher for Weekend Admissions

Seven days after a stroke, people seen on weekends had an 8.1% risk of dying compared to a 7% risk of dying for those seen on weekdays. The results stayed the same regardless of age, gender, stroke severity, other medical conditions and the use of blood clot-busting medications. "Stroke is not the only condition in which lower survival rates have been linked for people admitted to hospitals on the weekends. The reason for the differences in rates could be due to hospital staffing, limited access to specialists and procedures done outside of regular hours," Kapral says. "More research needs to be done on why the rates are different so that stroke victims can have the best possible chance of surviving."

The study found no differences in the quality of stroke care, including brain scans and admission time, between weekends and weekdays.

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