What does stroke volume refer to?

Stroke volume is defined as the volume of blood pumped by a ventricle of the heart with each heartbeat. This measurement is crucial in understanding cardiac function and overall circulatory health. It directly impacts cardiac output, which is calculated by multiplying stroke volume by heart rate.

Understanding stroke volume helps in assessing the efficiency of the heart's pumping action—the greater the stroke volume, the more blood is ejected with each contraction. This is essential in various clinical situations, especially when evaluating heart conditions or the body's response to stress and exertion.

The other choices refer to different cardiovascular parameters. Blood pressure in the arteries relates to the force exerted by circulating blood on the walls of blood vessels, while the volume of blood pumped by the heart per minute describes cardiac output rather than stroke volume alone. Lastly, the blood volume in the ventricles at diastole pertains to the end-diastolic volume, which is a different measurement concerning the heart's filling phase rather than the blood output with each heartbeat.