What it means
The volume of blood the left ventricle pushes into the body each minute. It equals the heart rate times the stroke volume (the amount pumped with each beat). In a resting adult it is about 4 to 8 liters per minute. When it falls, the organs get less blood: the client may be confused, pale and cool, with low urine output.
For the nurse
Signs of low cardiac output are low blood pressure, a fast weak pulse, cool skin, slow capillary refill, confusion and urine output below 30 mL per hour.
Remember it
CO = HR × SV: how often the heart beats times how much it pumps each time.
At a glance
| Abbreviations | CO; SV (stroke volume) |
|---|---|
| Spanish | gasto cardíaco |
Related terms
heart rate
How many times the heart beats per minute.
perfusion
The flow of blood through the body's tissues, bringing them oxygen and nutrients.
heart failure
A long-term condition in which the heart cannot pump enough blood to meet the body's needs.
ventricle
One of the two lower chambers of the heart, or one of the fluid-filled spaces inside the brain.