Control of cardiac output

Question 1

Definition of cardiac output:

Answer 1

The amount of blood ejected from the heart per minute
CO = HR x SV

Question 2

What factors does cardiac output affect?

Answer 2

Blood pressure and blood flow

Question 3

Preload

Answer 3

Stretching of heart at rest, increases stroke volume, due to Starling’s law

Question 4

Afterload

Answer 4

Opposes ejection, reduces stroke volume, due to Laplace’s law

Question 5

What is end diastolic volume (EDV) ?

Answer 5

The amount of blood in the ventricles just before contraction (systole)