Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) Intermediate Practice Exam

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Afterload is defined as the:

Pressure against which the left ventricle must pump
Volume of blood leaving the heart
Resistance in the arterial system
Heart rate during diastole

The correct answer is: Pressure against which the left ventricle must pump

Afterload refers to the pressure that the left ventricle must overcome to eject blood during systole. It is primarily determined by the systemic vascular resistance (SVR) and the volume of blood in the arteries at the time of contraction. When the heart contracts, it must work against this pressure to effectively pump blood into the systemic circulation. The definition effectively captures the physiological concept of afterload as it highlights the interaction between the left ventricle and the pressures present in the arterial system. A higher afterload means that the heart needs to exert more force to push blood out, which can impact cardiac output and overall heart function. In contrast, the other options refer to different aspects of cardiovascular physiology. The volume of blood leaving the heart is related to stroke volume and cardiac output rather than afterload. Resistance in the arterial system is an important factor that contributes to afterload, but it is not the definition itself. Heart rate during diastole does not pertain to afterload; rather, it relates to the timing of heart contractions and the filling phase of the heart.