Final answer:
When a shunt is present in the heart, the vessel that typically exhibits a higher stroke volume is the aorta.
Step-by-step explanation:
When a shunt is present in the heart, the vessel that typically exhibits a higher stroke volume is the aorta (option a).
A shunt is an abnormal flow of blood between two areas of the heart that aren't directly connected. In a shunt, blood can bypass the lungs and mix oxygenated and deoxygenated blood. With a shunt present, the aorta receives a greater volume of blood, resulting in a higher stroke volume.
For example, in a congenital heart defect called a ventricular septal defect (VSD), blood can flow from the left ventricle (oxygenated blood) to the right ventricle (deoxygenated blood) through an opening in the ventricular septum. The shunted blood then enters the right ventricle and is pumped into the pulmonary artery, increasing stroke volume in the pulmonary artery. However, the aorta, being the systemic artery that receives blood from the left ventricle, still exhibits a higher stroke volume compared to the pulmonary artery.