Objective To study the mortality and risk factors of death of critical patients treated in emergency department for initial stabilization and life support. Method The clinical data of 1240 critical patients from January 2005 to December 2006 were retrospectively analyzed. The patients were divided into death group and survival group. The differences of demographics, symptoms, physical signs and laboratory findings of patients between two groups were analyzed by using univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis, sex, age, visiting time after attack, the history of chronic diseases, temperature, respiratory rate, heart rate, mean arterial pressure, respiratory dysfunction, circulatory dysfunction, hepatic dysfunction, gastrointestinal dysfunction, renal dysfunction, coagulation disorders, acid base and electrolyte disturbances, lencocyte count,platelet count, Glasgow coma scale (GCS) score and acute physiology and chronic health evaluation Ⅱ (APACHE Ⅱ ). Results There were higher mortality and morbidities of patients with diseases of respiratory, digestive, circulatory and nervous systems. The mortality of patients with the history of chronic diseases was higher (P < 0.01) ,and there were more patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(COPD), chronic cardiac insufficiency, diabetes mellitus or cirrhosis of liver in death group (P < 0.05). The mortality of patients with 3 dysfunctional organs was 32.81%, and the mortality of lity of those with five dysfunctional organs was 76.67% . Logistic regression analysis indicated that male gender, age between 46 and 65, respiratory dysfunction, circulatory dysfunction, gastrointestinal dysfunction, hepatic dysfunction, low Glasgow coma scale (GCS) score and high APACHE II score were risk factors of the death of critical patients. Conclusions The mortality of patients with the history of critical diseases is higher. The more dysfunctional organs, the higher mortality is. Age between 46 and 65, male gender, and dysfunction of lung, circulation, gastrointestinal tract,and liver,and low CCS score and high APACHE II score are risk factors of the death of emergency and critical disease.