Barron’s CCRN Hemodynamics UPDATED
ACTUAL Exam Questions and CORRECT
Answers
What is cardiac output? - CORRECT ANSWER - CO = SV x HR
Normal 4-8L
If CO becomes low, the blood pressure will decrease
What is stroke volume and what is it dependent on? How does it affect CO? - CORRECT
ANSWER - How many mL per beat the left ventricle ejects
Normal SV is 50-100mL per beat
It is dependent on preload, after load, and contractility
Preload- CVP (right ventricular), PAOP (left ventricular)
After load- PVR (right ventricular), SVR (left ventricular)
Contractility
As stroke volume increases, CO increases
What is cardiac index? - CORRECT ANSWER - It takes into account body surface area
and is a more meaningful value than CO
Normal is 2.5-4 L/min/m2
What is preload? What reflects right and left ventricular preload? How does preload affect SV
and CO? - CORRECT ANSWER - Volume/pressure of blood in ventricle at the end of
diastole after the AV valves close, just prior to ejection
, Right atrial pressure or CVP reflects the right ventricular preload
The PAOP reflects the left ventricular preload
As preload increases the SV and CO increase up to a point
Too high of a preload may lead to heart failure
In sepsis and hypovolemia the preload is LOW
What is afterload? How is it measured? And how does it affect SV and CO? - CORRECT
ANSWER - Afterload is the pressure (resistance) against which the ventricle must pump to
open the valve (pulmonic or aortic)
Measured by pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) for the right ventricle or the SVR for the left
ventricle
As afterload increases, the SV and CO DECREASE
What is contractility and how does it affect SV and CO? - CORRECT ANSWER -
Contractile force of the myofibrils, independent of preload and afterload. As contractility
increases, the SV and CO increase
How does sepsis affect SVR and how do pressors help? - CORRECT ANSWER - Sepsis
causes massive vasodilation which causes a low SVR
Pressors cause vasoconstriction and increase SVR
What is a normal stroke index? - CORRECT ANSWER - 25-45 ml/beat/m2
ACTUAL Exam Questions and CORRECT
Answers
What is cardiac output? - CORRECT ANSWER - CO = SV x HR
Normal 4-8L
If CO becomes low, the blood pressure will decrease
What is stroke volume and what is it dependent on? How does it affect CO? - CORRECT
ANSWER - How many mL per beat the left ventricle ejects
Normal SV is 50-100mL per beat
It is dependent on preload, after load, and contractility
Preload- CVP (right ventricular), PAOP (left ventricular)
After load- PVR (right ventricular), SVR (left ventricular)
Contractility
As stroke volume increases, CO increases
What is cardiac index? - CORRECT ANSWER - It takes into account body surface area
and is a more meaningful value than CO
Normal is 2.5-4 L/min/m2
What is preload? What reflects right and left ventricular preload? How does preload affect SV
and CO? - CORRECT ANSWER - Volume/pressure of blood in ventricle at the end of
diastole after the AV valves close, just prior to ejection
, Right atrial pressure or CVP reflects the right ventricular preload
The PAOP reflects the left ventricular preload
As preload increases the SV and CO increase up to a point
Too high of a preload may lead to heart failure
In sepsis and hypovolemia the preload is LOW
What is afterload? How is it measured? And how does it affect SV and CO? - CORRECT
ANSWER - Afterload is the pressure (resistance) against which the ventricle must pump to
open the valve (pulmonic or aortic)
Measured by pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) for the right ventricle or the SVR for the left
ventricle
As afterload increases, the SV and CO DECREASE
What is contractility and how does it affect SV and CO? - CORRECT ANSWER -
Contractile force of the myofibrils, independent of preload and afterload. As contractility
increases, the SV and CO increase
How does sepsis affect SVR and how do pressors help? - CORRECT ANSWER - Sepsis
causes massive vasodilation which causes a low SVR
Pressors cause vasoconstriction and increase SVR
What is a normal stroke index? - CORRECT ANSWER - 25-45 ml/beat/m2
