Calculate Cardiac Output in ICU Patient

A 45-year-old male patient is in the intensive care unit (ICU) receiving treatment for septic shock. The healthcare team is monitoring the patient’s cardiac output (CO) closely. The normal range for cardiac output is approximately 4 to 8 liters per minute. Cardiac output is determined by two main factors: heart rate (HR) and stroke volume (SV). The formula to calculate cardiac output is CO = HR x SV.

During the assessment, the healthcare provider notes that the patient's heart rate is 100 beats per minute and the stroke volume is 50 milliliters. To help determine if the patient's cardiac output is within the normal range, fill in the blank: The patient's cardiac output is __________ liters per minute.