Best index to measure cardiac afterload is:
(A) Mean aerial pressure (B) LV end diastolic pressure (C) LV mean systolic pressure (D) Total peripheral resistance
(D) Ans: D. Total peripheral resistance(Ref: Ganong 25Ie p544, 24/e p546)Cardiac output depends on both preload & afterload.The preload is defined by the venous return & left ventricular end-diastolic volume while the afterload is defined by the mean aerial pressure, which then fither depends on total peripheral resistance.