Cardiac Output
Blood pumped by the heart per minute.
Formula
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Example
70 × 70 = 4900 mL/min
How it works
Cardiac output is the volume of blood the heart pumps each minute. It works by multiplying how many times the heart beats in a minute (heart rate) by how much blood is ejected with each beat (stroke volume), because total flow over time equals flow per beat times beats per minute. This is a key measure of how effectively the cardiovascular system can deliver oxygen and nutrients to the body.
When to use it
Use this formula in physiology, exercise science, and clinical contexts to estimate how much blood the heart is sending into circulation each minute. It is useful when comparing resting and exercise conditions, or when assessing how changes in heart rate or stroke volume affect circulation.
Worked example, step by step
Heart rate (HR) = 82 beats/min Stroke volume (SV) = 65 mL/beat CO = HR × SV CO = 82 × 65 CO = 5330 mL/min So, the cardiac output is 5330 mL/min, or 5.33 L/min.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Using stroke volume in mL/min instead of mL/beat
- Forgetting to convert the final answer from mL/min to L/min when needed
- Mixing up heart rate (beats per minute) with pulse pressure or blood pressure
Did You Know?
Your heart pumps about 5 litres a minute at rest, enough to empty a bathtub in under an hour.
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