What term is used to describe the volume of blood pumped by the heart in one minute?

The term that refers to the volume of blood pumped by the heart in one minute is cardiac output. This metric is crucial in cardiovascular physiology as it reflects the efficiency of the heart in delivering oxygenated blood to the tissues and organs throughout the body. Cardiac output is determined by multiplying heart rate (the number of beats per minute) by stroke volume (the amount of blood pumped by the heart with each beat). Understanding cardiac output is essential for assessing cardiovascular health and fitness levels, as it can indicate how well the heart is functioning under various conditions, such as exercise or rest.

In contrast, stroke volume measures the blood volume ejected by the heart per contraction, while blood pressure reflects the force exerted by circulating blood on the walls of blood vessels. Cardiac index is a variation of cardiac output that accounts for body surface area, providing a more personalized measurement of heart performance, but it is not the specific term describing the total volume pumped in one minute.