What is the term for the blood volume pumped in liters per minute by the heart?

The term for the blood volume pumped in liters per minute by the heart is cardiac output. This is a critical parameter in cardiovascular physiology as it reflects the efficiency and effectiveness of the heart's pumping ability. Cardiac output can be calculated by multiplying heart rate, which is the number of beats per minute, by stroke volume, which is the amount of blood ejected by the heart with each contraction.

Understanding cardiac output is essential, especially within the context of exercise physiology and women's fitness, as it can help trainers gauge the heart's performance during different levels of physical activity and ensure the cardiovascular system is adequately supporting the body's demands. Awareness of cardiac output also aids in monitoring and training appropriately for cardiovascular health, especially in populations with specific needs or risks.

In this context, stroke volume refers to the amount of blood pumped per beat and does not provide a measure across the time interval of a minute. Blood pressure, on the other hand, measures the pressure within the arteries and does not reflect the volume of blood being pumped. Heart rate simply indicates how many times the heart beats in a minute without considering the volume of blood pumped each time. Therefore, cardiac output is the most comprehensive term relevant to the pumping capacity of the heart over a specific duration.