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Cardiac index

The index is usually calculated using the following formula:^{[citation needed]}

${\displaystyle {\text{CI}}={\frac {\text{CO}}{\text{BSA}}}={\frac {{\text{SV}}\times {\text{HR}}}{\text{BSA}}}}$

where

CI

Cardiac index

BSA

Body surface area

SV

Stroke volume

HR

Heart rate

CO

Cardiac output

The normal range of cardiac index at rest is 2.6–4.2 L/min/m².

The cardiac index is frequently measured and used in both intensive care medicine and cardiac intensive care. The CI is a useful marker of how well the heart is functioning as a pump by directly correlating the volume of blood pumped by the heart with an individual's body surface area.^{[citation needed]}

If the CI falls acutely below 2.2 L/min/m², the patient may be in cardiogenic shock.^{[citation needed]}