Question

A. units of SVR

B. where in the vascular tree does most SVR originate
C. two ways to measure CO
D. why do atrial arrhythmias decrease CO
E. normal ejection fraction
Correct Option: C. two ways to measure CO

Answer 1

Cardiac Output (CO) can be measured using an echocardiogram or by using a specialized invasive catheter. Both methods determine the stroke volume, thereby calculating CO.

Step-by-step explanation:

There are two primary methods to measure Cardiac Output (CO), which is the amount of blood pumped by each ventricle of the heart in one minute. The first method involves an echocardiogram, which uses sound waves to create an image of the heart and allows measurement of the end-diastolic volume (EDV) and the end-systolic volume (ESV), with the difference between these two volumes giving the stroke volume (SV): SV = EDV - ESV. The second method is the use of a specialized catheter, known as a Swan-Ganz catheter, inserted into the pulmonary artery to measure hemodynamic parameters, including CO. However, this method is invasive and poses a greater risk to the patient.