Cardiac output is the total amount of blood that the heart pumps in one minute, calculated by multiplying the stroke volume, the amount of blood ejected with each heartbeat, by the heart rate. In echocardiography, cardiac output can be estimated by measuring the diameter of the left ventricular outflow tract and the velocity of blood flowing through it using Doppler ultrasound. A normal resting cardiac output is approximately 4 to 8 liters per minute. This measurement is clinically important for assessing overall heart function and is used to guide treatment in patients with heart failure, valve disease, and critical illness.
Sonography Term