Cardiac output is calculated by which formula?

Cardiac output is a critical measurement in understanding how effectively the heart is functioning to circulate blood throughout the body. It is defined as the volume of blood pumped by the heart per minute. The 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 with each heartbeat, while heart rate is the number of heartbeats per minute. Multiplying these two values provides the total volume of blood that the heart pumps out in one minute. This relationship underscores the direct impact of both heart rate and stroke volume on overall cardiac performance.

In contrast, the other options do not reflect the accurate physiological relationship between heart rate and stroke volume in determining cardiac output. For example, division or addition of these two values fails to represent the mechanics of heart function and does not yield a meaningful metric of blood flow. Therefore, the proper relationship is expressed through multiplication, establishing cardiovascular efficiency and health.