Ace the Cardiac Vascular Nursing Exam 2025 – Pump Up Your Success!

In a healthy adult at rest, cardiac output, which is the amount of blood the heart pumps in one minute, typically falls within the range of 4 to 6 liters per minute. This range is considered normal because it reflects the balance between the heart's stroke volume (the amount of blood ejected from the heart with each beat) and heart rate, which is generally around 60 to 100 beats per minute at rest.

Understanding cardiac output is vital, as it is an essential indicator of the heart's efficiency and the body's ability to meet metabolic demands. At rest, a typical cardiac output of 4 to 6 L/min is adequate to supply the organs and tissues with oxygen and nutrients, thus maintaining homeostasis. This range can vary slightly based on individual factors, such as age, fitness level, and body size, but the 4 to 6 L/min interval is widely recognized in the clinical setting as the standard for healthy adults at rest.

Other options suggesting lower or higher ranges either do not reflect the physiological norm or exceed the cardiac output typically observed in a resting state, making them less appropriate choices in this context.