What is the formula to calculate cardiac output?

Cardiac output is a critical parameter in understanding heart function and overall circulatory efficiency. This measurement reflects the amount of blood the heart pumps in one minute and is essential for assessing cardiovascular health. The correct formula for calculating cardiac output is the product of stroke volume and heart rate.

Stroke volume refers to the amount of blood ejected by the left ventricle of the heart in one contraction. Heart rate, on the other hand, is the number of heartbeats per minute. By multiplying these two components—stroke volume and heart rate—you obtain the total volume of blood pumped by the heart in a minute, which is the definition of cardiac output.

The relationship depicted by this formula underscores the importance of both the efficiency of each heartbeat and the frequency of those heartbeats in determining overall cardiac performance. This understanding is foundational in critical care, where effective monitoring of cardiac output can be vital for patient prognosis and treatment planning.