Understanding cardiac output.
Cardiac output is the amount of blood the heart pumps in 1 minute, and it is dependent on the heart rate, contractility, preload, and afterload. Understanding of the applicability and practical relevance of each of these four components is important when interpreting cardiac output values. In the present article, we use a simple analogy comparing cardiac output with the speed of a bicycle to help appreciate better the effects of various disease processes and interventions on cardiac output and its four components.
Vincent
Jean-Louis
JL
D000818:Animals; D002302:Cardiac Output / Q000502:physiology*; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D009200:Myocardial Contraction / Q000502:physiology; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D013318:Stroke Volume / Q000502:physiology
N Engl J Med. 1989 Aug 3;321(5):280-7
2664516
Anesth Analg. 2001 Jul;93(1):7-13
11429329
N Engl J Med. 1992 Sep 3;327(10):685-91
1463530
Lancet. 1990 Jul 7;336(8706):1-6
1694945
Br Heart J. 1994 Sep;72(3):226-30
7946771
N Engl J Med. 1991 Nov 21;325(21):1468-75
1944425
Am J Physiol. 1982 Feb;242(2):H191-6
7065151
J Mol Cell Cardiol. 1985 Apr;17(4):317-38
3894677
N Engl J Med. 1986 Jun 12;314(24):1547-52
3520315
J Mol Cell Cardiol. 1985 Apr;17(4):291-306
3894676
Chest. 2001 Sep;120(3):989-1002
11555538
Ann Surg. 1979 Apr;189(4):439-41
443898
Circ Res. 1994 Aug;75(2):285-95
7518362