Which term describes the amount of blood the heart pumps per minute?

The term that describes the amount of blood the heart pumps per minute is cardiac output. Cardiac output is a vital measurement in cardiovascular physiology, as it reflects the efficiency of the heart in delivering oxygen and nutrients to tissues while removing carbon dioxide and metabolic wastes. It is calculated by multiplying the stroke volume (the amount of blood pumped by the heart with each beat) by the heart rate (the number of beats per minute).

Understanding cardiac output is essential for assessing a patient's hemodynamic status, particularly in critical care settings, and is an important indicator of overall heart function. Monitoring changes in cardiac output can help guide treatment decisions in various clinical situations, like heart failure or shock. By recognizing that cardiac output directly relates to the heart's capacity to facilitate blood flow, one can appreciate its integral role in maintaining homeostasis in the body.

The other terms listed describe different concepts in cardiology; for instance, stroke volume refers specifically to the volume of blood ejected with each heartbeat, while ventricular ejection pertains to the action of the ventricles during contraction. Blood volume, on the other hand, refers to the total volume of blood in the circulatory system rather than the dynamic measurement of blood flow provided by cardiac output.