What term refers to the total volume of blood that the heart pumps out per minute?

The term that refers to the total volume of blood that the heart pumps out per minute is cardiac output. This measurement is critically important as it reflects the efficiency of the heart as a pump, and it combines both the heart rate (number of beats per minute) and the stroke volume (the amount of blood pumped out of the heart with each beat).

Cardiac output is essential for ensuring that adequate blood flow reaches all the tissues in the body, supplying them with necessary oxygen and nutrients while removing waste products. It serves as a key indicator of cardiovascular health; changes in cardiac output can signal various heart conditions or the body's physiological response to exercise or stress.

Stroke volume, while relevant to cardiac function, measures the blood volume pumped in a single contraction of the heart, rather than over a minute. Blood pressure refers to the force exerted by circulating blood on the walls of blood vessels and does not measure blood volume output from the heart. Peripheral resistance involves the resistance to blood flow offered by the systemic blood vessels and does not directly relate to the amount of blood the heart pumps.