Total oxygen delivery (DO2) is calculated using which formula?

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Multiple Choice

Total oxygen delivery (DO2) is calculated using which formula?

Total oxygen delivery depends on how much oxygen the arterial blood can carry and how much blood the heart pumps each minute. The oxygen content in arterial blood (CaO2) tells us how much O2 is carried per deciliter of blood, while cardiac output (QT) is the volume of blood pumped per minute. To get DO2 in consistent units (mL of O2 per minute), CaO2 must be converted from per deciliter to per liter, which is done by multiplying by 10. So the correct formula is DO2 = QT x CaO2 x 10, giving DO2 in mL O2 per minute. The arteriovenous difference (CaO2 − CvO2) is used for oxygen consumption (VO2), not delivery, so including CvO2 would mix in extraction rather than delivery. Omitting the 10 as a conversion factor would also misalign the units.

Total oxygen delivery depends on how much oxygen the arterial blood can carry and how much blood the heart pumps each minute. The oxygen content in arterial blood (CaO2) tells us how much O2 is carried per deciliter of blood, while cardiac output (QT) is the volume of blood pumped per minute. To get DO2 in consistent units (mL of O2 per minute), CaO2 must be converted from per deciliter to per liter, which is done by multiplying by 10. So the correct formula is DO2 = QT x CaO2 x 10, giving DO2 in mL O2 per minute.

The arteriovenous difference (CaO2 − CvO2) is used for oxygen consumption (VO2), not delivery, so including CvO2 would mix in extraction rather than delivery. Omitting the 10 as a conversion factor would also misalign the units.

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