What is defined as the amount of blood the heart pumps per minute?

The amount of blood the heart pumps per minute is referred to as cardiac output. This measurement is crucial in understanding the efficiency and performance of the heart as it provides an estimate of the blood circulation throughout the body, delivering necessary oxygen and nutrients to tissues and organs.

Cardiac output is typically calculated by multiplying the stroke volume (the amount of blood ejected from the heart each beat) by the heart rate (the number of beats per minute). This relationship allows healthcare professionals to assess a patient’s cardiovascular health and identify potential issues such as heart failure or shock.

In contrast, cardiology refers to the branch of medicine that deals with disorders of the heart, while cardiac arrest is a sudden loss of heart function, requiring immediate medical intervention. Cardiac enzymes are proteins released when the heart is damaged, commonly used in blood tests to help diagnose heart conditions. These terms are related to heart health but do not define the specific measurement of blood pumped by the heart per minute.