Cardiac output (CO) is the amount of blood pumped by the heart minute, or in other words, cardiac output is the amount of work performed by the heart in response to the body’s need for oxygen. Two ways to increase oxygen delivery are through alterations of local blood flow and adjustment of cardiac output by modulating heart rate (HR) and stroke volume (SV). Because every tissue in the body relies on the heart for nourishment, any cardiovascular dysfunction has the potential to result in significant morbidity and mortality. Heart disease affects nearly 30 million Americans annually and is the number one cause of death in the United States.
