What is the cardiac output?

Cardiac output is defined as the amount of blood pumped by the left ventricle of the heart per minute. This measurement is crucial because it reflects the efficiency of the heart in delivering oxygenated blood to the tissues and organs throughout the body.

When the left ventricle contracts, it ejects blood into the aorta, which then circulates throughout the body. The volume of blood ejected per contraction (stroke volume) combined with the heart rate (the number of beats per minute) gives us the cardiac output. This is a vital sign in assessing the overall cardiovascular health of an individual.

Understanding the role of the left ventricle is essential because it is responsible for systemic circulation, distinguishing it from the right ventricle, which pumps blood to the lungs for oxygenation. Therefore, focusing on the left ventricle’s functionality underlies the accuracy of the definition of cardiac output.