Cardiac output is the amount of blood in liters pumped by the heart per minute. It is measured by heart rate x stroke volume. Normal cardiac output equals 70 beats/min x 70 mL, or approximately 5 liters/min in an adult at rest. Cardiogenic shock...
Blood pressure is a term that describes the force placed on your arteries when blood passes through them. Measurements of this force include systolic pressure readings --- taken while your heart beats --- and diastolic pressure readings, taken...
A sudden high fever, above 102 degrees F, may signal toxic shock syndrome (TSS), especially if you are or have just finished menstruating, have a skin wound, a surgical incision or infection or have given birth within the last 12 weeks. Alert...
Hypertension or high blood pressure is a common and deadly health problem, however hypotension or low blood pressure can also cause symptoms. The Mayo Clinic defines blood pressure as the measurement of force in the arteries during the phases of...
Systolic blood pressure is the first number heard with a stethoscope or displayed on a digital blood pressure machine when a blood pressure reading is being performed. It is the top number of a blood pressure reading. If your blood pressure is 130...
Rightly nicknamed the "silent killer," hypertension, or high blood pressure, may go undetected for years. Still, the "Primary Care" journal associates it with progressive or sudden damage of such target organs as the brain, kidney or heart. The...