010-111 · Question #225
The stroke volume of a client who has a cardiac output of 5 liters per minute and a heart rate of 70 beats per minute is approximately _____.
The correct answer is C. 70 mL. Stroke volume is calculated by dividing cardiac output by heart rate. With a CO of 5 L/min and HR of 70 bpm, SV = 5000 mL / 70, which equals approximately 71 mL.
Question
The stroke volume of a client who has a cardiac output of 5 liters per minute and a heart rate of 70 beats per minute is approximately _____.
Options
- A70 L
- B350 L
- C70 mL
- D350 mL
How the community answered
(19 responses)- A16% (3)
- B5% (1)
- C74% (14)
- D5% (1)
Why each option
Stroke volume is calculated by dividing cardiac output by heart rate. With a CO of 5 L/min and HR of 70 bpm, SV = 5000 mL / 70, which equals approximately 71 mL.
70 L uses the correct numerical estimate but the wrong unit - liters instead of milliliters - making the value physiologically impossible for a single heartbeat.
350 L is both an incorrect calculation result and an impossible unit for stroke volume, with no physiological basis.
Stroke volume is derived from the formula SV = CO / HR. A cardiac output of 5 liters per minute equals 5000 mL/min; dividing by 70 beats per minute yields approximately 71.4 mL per beat, which is correctly expressed as roughly 70 mL. This is consistent with normal resting stroke volume in a healthy adult (60-100 mL per beat).
350 mL would imply a resting cardiac output of approximately 24.5 L/min (350 mL x 70 bpm), a value only approached during maximal exercise in elite athletes.
Concept tested: Stroke volume calculation from cardiac output and heart rate
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