Which term describes the amount of blood pumped out of the heart per heartbeat?

The term that describes the amount of blood pumped out of the heart per heartbeat is stroke volume. Stroke volume is a key indicator of cardiac function and reflects the volume of blood ejected by a ventricle during a single contraction. It is typically measured in milliliters and is influenced by factors such as heart muscle contractility, the volume of blood returning to the heart, and systemic vascular resistance.

Understanding stroke volume is essential in the context of overall cardiovascular health and fitness, as it provides insights into how effectively the heart delivers oxygen-rich blood to the body during physical activity and at rest. By focusing on this single heartbeat measure, stroke volume helps assess the efficiency of the heart's pumping action without considering the frequency of beats or total output over time. Thus, it plays a critical role in evaluating an individual's cardiovascular fitness and response to exercise.