Given a cardiac output of 8 L/min and a cardiac index of 4.7 L/min/m2, what is the approximate body surface area (m2)?

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Multiple Choice

Given a cardiac output of 8 L/min and a cardiac index of 4.7 L/min/m2, what is the approximate body surface area (m2)?

The relationship you use is CO = CI × BSA, so to find body surface area you divide CO by CI. BSA = 8 L/min ÷ 4.7 L/min/m2 ≈ 1.70 m2. That’s about 1.7 m2, making the closest provided option around 1.6 m2. The other numbers are farther from 1.7 (1.3 is too small; 2.0 and 2.4 are too large).

The relationship you use is CO = CI × BSA, so to find body surface area you divide CO by CI.

BSA = 8 L/min ÷ 4.7 L/min/m2 ≈ 1.70 m2.

That’s about 1.7 m2, making the closest provided option around 1.6 m2. The other numbers are farther from 1.7 (1.3 is too small; 2.0 and 2.4 are too large).

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