Question

The three variables which measure the efficiency of the cardiac cycle and the heart’s pumping activity are

• A. Pulse
• B. Cardiac output
• C. Systole
• D. Blood pressure

Answer 1

Answer: (A), (B), (D)

Blood pressure

The 3 variables which measure the efficiency of the cardiac cycle and the heart’s pumping activity are blood pressure, cardiac output, and pulse. By definition,

• Pulse is the rhythmic dilation of an artery because of the beating of the heart.
• Blood pressure is the pressure of the circulating blood on the walls of the blood vessels. It is expressed as systolic pressure by diastolic pressure.
• Cardiac output is the amount of blood pumped out of a ventricle per minute.

Systole is not a variable but the phase of a heartbeat where the heart muscles contract and pump blood out from the chamber.