Calculating Stroke Volume from Cardiac Output

A nurse is monitoring a patient’s vital signs in the intensive care unit (ICU). The patient's heart rate is 90 beats per minute, and the blood pressure reading is 120/80 mmHg. The nurse notes an increase in cardiac output, which is crucial for maintaining adequate tissue perfusion. Since cardiac output is equal to stroke volume multiplied by heart rate, the nurse calculates the stroke volume. To find the stroke volume, the nurse uses the formula:

Cardiac Output (CO) = Stroke Volume (SV) x Heart Rate (HR)

The nurse recalls that the average cardiac output in a healthy adult is approximately 5 liters per minute. Given the heart rate of 90 beats per minute, the nurse fills in the blank for the stroke volume:

Stroke Volume (SV) = _______ liters per beat