Which equation expresses MAP as the product of cardiac output and systemic vascular resistance?

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Multiple Choice

Which equation expresses MAP as the product of cardiac output and systemic vascular resistance?

Understanding how mean arterial pressure is set: it depends on how much blood the heart pumps each minute and how much resistance the arteries offer. In the circulation, flow (cardiac output) follows an Ohm’s law–like relationship: pressure difference drives flow through resistance. If you rearrange that idea, mean arterial pressure is essentially CO multiplied by systemic vascular resistance (with a small addition for central venous pressure in the exact form). So increasing either cardiac output or the resistance raises MAP. That’s why the product of CO and SVR is the best expression here. The other options either estimate MAP from cuff pressures or represent cardiac output (HR times SV), not mean arterial pressure.

Understanding how mean arterial pressure is set: it depends on how much blood the heart pumps each minute and how much resistance the arteries offer. In the circulation, flow (cardiac output) follows an Ohm’s law–like relationship: pressure difference drives flow through resistance. If you rearrange that idea, mean arterial pressure is essentially CO multiplied by systemic vascular resistance (with a small addition for central venous pressure in the exact form). So increasing either cardiac output or the resistance raises MAP.

That’s why the product of CO and SVR is the best expression here. The other options either estimate MAP from cuff pressures or represent cardiac output (HR times SV), not mean arterial pressure.

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