Final answer:
To assess cardiac output (CO), the calculation is made based on the formula CO = HR × SV. On the other hand, for carbon monoxide (CO) toxicity, carboxyhemoglobin levels must be assessed, starting with removing the person from exposure and administering oxygen. Indirect assessments can also be done using a Douglas bag or a pulse oximeter.
Step-by-step explanation:
Cardiac output (CO) is a crucial physiological measurement representing the volume of blood pumped by each ventricle per minute. It is calculated by the formula CO = HR × SV, where HR stands for heart rate (in beats per minute) and SV denotes stroke volume (the amount of blood pumped per beat). For an average person, the mean CO is around 5.25 L/min, though this can range between 4.0 and 8.0 L/min. These figures, however, represent the output from each ventricle, not the total for the entire heart.
In cases of carbon monoxide (CO) toxicity, assessing CO is related to identifying the level of carboxyhemoglobin in the blood. Initial treatment involves removing the individual from the source of exposure and administering oxygen to decrease the half-life of carbon monoxide in the blood, thereby aiding in its dissociation from hemoglobin.
Other methods to measure components indirectly related to CO include using a Douglas bag to gather expired air for analysis of oxygen and carbon dioxide levels or a pulse oximeter to determine oxygen saturation in the blood as indications of metabolic rate.