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- Cardiac output (CO) is the term used to describe the volume of blood that is pumped by the heart (the left and right ventricle) per unit of time
- An average adult has a cardiac output of roughly 4.7 litres of blood per minute when at rest
- Individuals who are fitter often have higher cardiac outputs due to having thicker and stronger ventricular muscles in their hearts
- Cardiac output increases when an individual is exercising
- In order to supply oxygen and glucose for respiration
- The CO of an individual can be calculated using their heart rate and stroke volume
- Heart rate is the number of times a heart beats per minute
- Stroke volume is the volume of blood pumped out of the left ventricle during one cardiac cycle