The total blood flow from the heart per minute is called what?

• A. Venous Return
• B. Stroke Volume
• C. Cardiac Output
• D. Elasticity of Cardiac Fibres

Answer: (C)

The total blood pumped by the heart each minute is called cardiac output. It’s determined by heart rate and stroke volume, with CO = HR × SV. At rest, this is about 5 liters per minute in a typical adult, and it can increase during exercise by raising either heart rate, stroke volume, or both. Venous return refers to how much blood comes back to the heart, and in steady state it matches cardiac output, but it’s the output from the heart per minute that’s being asked. Stroke volume is the amount ejected per beat, not per minute, and the elasticity of cardiac fibres describes how stretchy the heart muscle is, not the total flow.