Final answer:
Cardiac output (CO) is a measurement of the amount of blood pumped by each ventricle in one minute. It is calculated by multiplying the stroke volume (SV) by the heart rate (HR). The normal values for cardiac output range from 4.0 to 8.0 liters per minute.
Step-by-step explanation:
Cardiac output (CO) is a measurement of the amount of blood pumped by each ventricle in one minute. To calculate this value, multiply stroke volume (SV), the amount of blood pumped by each ventricle, by heart rate (HR), in contractions per minute (or beats per minute, bpm). It can be represented mathematically by the following equation:
CO = HR × SV
The normal values for cardiac output vary depending on factors such as age, gender, and physical condition, but the average adult typically has a cardiac output of 4.0 to 8.0 liters per minute.