The heart must pump blood to maintain an adequate and continuous oxygen supply to the brain and other vital organs. Learn more about why heart rate increases during exercise.
Heart volume is the term that describes the amount of blood your heart pumps every minute. Doctors think of heart volume in the form of the following equation:
Heart rate = stroke volume × heart rate
The stroke volume is the amount of blood your heart pumps each time it beats, and the heart rate is heartbeats per minute.
What is an average heart volume?
A healthy heart with an average heart volume pumps around 5 to 6 liters of blood every minute when resting.
When does the body need higher heart volume?
During exercise, your body needs three or four times your average heart volume because your muscles need more oxygen when you exert yourself. During exercise, your heart usually beats faster so that more blood comes out to your body. Your heart can increase its stroke volume by pumping harder or increasing how much blood fills the left ventricle before it pumps. In general, your heart beats faster and more robust to increase heart rate during exercise.
Why is it so essential to maintain heart volume?
The adequate cardiac output helps keep blood pressure at the levels needed to deliver oxygen-rich blood to the brain and other vital organs.
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