What is the formula for cardiac output?

The correct formula for cardiac output is Q (in milliliters per minute) equals heart rate (in beats per minute) multiplied by stroke volume (in milliliters). This relationship reflects how much blood is being pumped by the heart in a given time frame. Cardiac output is a critical parameter that indicates the efficiency of the heart and how well it circulates blood throughout the body.

In the context of exercise physiology, understanding this formula is essential, as it helps fitness professionals evaluate cardiovascular fitness and the heart's ability to meet the demands of physical activity. By tracking changes in heart rate and stroke volume, trainers can assess improvements in a client's cardiovascular fitness over time.

Other options present formulas that do not accurately represent the relationship between heart rate and stroke volume. For instance, simply adding stroke volume and heart rate does not provide a meaningful measure of cardiac output, and the equation involving age refers to maximum heart rate rather than cardiac output itself. Thus, the multiplication of heart rate and stroke volume is the recognized and correct formula for calculating cardiac output in the field of exercise science.