Definition of Cardiac output
Cardiac output: The amount of blood that is pumped by the
heart per unit time, measured in liters per minute (l/min).
The amount of blood that is put out by the left ventricle of the
heart in one contraction is called the stroke volume. The stroke
volume multiplied by the heart rate is the cardiac output.
A normal adult's heart can easily pump 5 quarts (4.7 liters) of
blood a minute. That is the cardiac output, the amount of blood the
heart pumps through the circulatory system in a minute.
Last Editorial Review: 10/15/2004Common Misspellings: cardic markers
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