Cardiac Output is defined as stroke volume times which factor?

Cardiac Output is defined as stroke volume times which factor?

• A. Stroke Volume
• B. Blood Pressure
• C. Aortic Flow
• D. Heart Rate

Answer: (D)

Cardiac output is the total amount of blood the heart pumps each minute. It is calculated by multiplying the amount of blood ejected with each beat (stroke volume) by how many beats occur each minute (heart rate). Therefore, CO = SV × HR. Heart rate is the factor that scales the number of times blood is moved per minute, so it’s the correct multiplier. Blood pressure reflects the force of blood in the arteries, not the quantity pumped per minute, and aortic flow isn’t used in the standard formula. If heart rate goes up while stroke volume stays the same, cardiac output increases accordingly.

Cardiac output is the total amount of blood the heart pumps each minute. It is calculated by multiplying the amount of blood ejected with each beat (stroke volume) by how many beats occur each minute (heart rate). Therefore, CO = SV × HR. Heart rate is the factor that scales the number of times blood is moved per minute, so it’s the correct multiplier. Blood pressure reflects the force of blood in the arteries, not the quantity pumped per minute, and aortic flow isn’t used in the standard formula. If heart rate goes up while stroke volume stays the same, cardiac output increases accordingly.