Final answer:
Cardiac output is the product of heart rate and stroke volume. It is a vital cardiovascular function representing the total blood volume pumped by the heart per minute. An increase or decrease in heart rate or stroke volume will subsequently alter cardiac output.
Step-by-step explanation:
Cardiac output is defined as the volume of blood pumped by the heart in one minute. It is a critical measure of cardiovascular function that directly influences the body's ability to supply oxygen and nutrients to tissues. The direct answer to the question posed is: Cardiac output is the product of heart rate and stroke volume.
An explanation of this concept is as follows: Heart rate (HR) refers to the number of heartbeats per minute, whereas stroke volume (SV) is the amount of blood ejected from the left ventricle of the heart with each beat. These two variables combine to determine the overall cardiac output (CO). The equation used to calculate it is CO = HR × SV. This means that changes in either heart rate or stroke volume can affect the cardiac output and, subsequently, the blood pressure and blood flow through the body. When the heart rate increases, or the stroke volume becomes greater, cardiac output rises, which typically occurs during physical activity. Conversely, when there's a decline in heart rate or stroke volume, cardiac output decreases, impacting blood pressure and flow negatively, as seen in certain health conditions.