A 16-year-old athlete is trying to improve their endurance by increasing their cardiac output. What is the key factor that determines cardiac output?
Q1. A 16-year-old athlete is trying to improve their endurance by increasing their cardiac output. What is the key factor that determines cardiac output?
Answer: Stroke volume
Explanation: Heart rate is a factor but the key factor is stroke volume. Stroke volume is the amount of blood pumped by the heart per beat. Vasodilation and blood pressure contribute to cardiac output indirectly.