Final answer:
When a valve has regurgitation, the CO (cardiac output) should be evaluated to determine the impact on overall cardiac function. The CO is influenced by factors such as heart rate (HR) and stroke volume (SV).
Step-by-step explanation:
Regurgitation of a valve occurs when the blood flows backward from its normal path due to a valve not closing properly. When this happens, the cardiac output (CO), which is the amount of blood pumped by each ventricle in one minute, is affected.
When a valve has regurgitation, the CO should be evaluated to determine the impact on overall cardiac function. The CO is influenced by factors such as heart rate (HR) and stroke volume (SV). To calculate the CO, multiply the HR and SV.
For example, if the regurgitation is causing a decrease in stroke volume, the impact on the CO would vary depending on whether the heart rate compensates by increasing.