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What is the Cardiac Output Formula? – Video
ACLS Certification Association videos have been peer-reviewed for medical accuracy by the ACA medical review board.
Video at a Glance
- Cardiac output (CO) is the amount of blood ejected from the heart over one minute.
- The formula is CO = Heart rate X Stroke volume.
- The average CO is approximately 5 liters per minute.
- Included is an explanation of atrial kick, end-diastolic volume, end-systolic volume, ejection fraction, and Frank-Starling Law and how they relate to stroke volume and cardiac output.
- Key takeaway: Always treat the rate first.
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