Professional
Technical
IVT
cardiac output reserve
The difference between cardiac output at peak exercise and at rest, indicating the heart's pumping capacity during physical stress.
Full Definition
Cardiac output reserve represents the heart's ability to increase blood flow from resting levels to meet the metabolic demands of exercise. It is calculated as peak exercise cardiac output minus resting cardiac output. In cardiac rehabilitation patients, reduced cardiac output reserve may indicate impaired ventricular function, chronotropic incompetence, or other cardiovascular limitations that affect exercise capacity and prognosis.
Usage
Usage note: Distinguish from other cardiac reserves; often requires invasive or non-invasive cardiac output measurement.
In Context
- "The patient demonstrated limited cardiac output reserve, achieving only a twofold increase from rest to peak exercise." — Cardiopulmonary exercise test interpretation
- "Improvement in cardiac output reserve was noted following 12 weeks of supervised exercise training." — Program outcomes assessment
Also known as
CO reserve
Contrasted with
resting cardiac output
Don't confuse with
heart rate reserve
stroke volume reserve