Critical Care & Hemodynamics
LV Cardiac Power Output (CPO) Calculator
Calculate conventional left ventricular cardiac power output from flow and mean arterial pressure.Need the full picture? Open the combined Swan-Ganz calculator →Enter measurements
Calculated in your browser. Inputs are not saved, added to the URL, or sent by this calculator.
Calculated result
CO × MAP / 451
Enter the required measurements to calculate a result.
Educational use only. This tool and its outputs do not constitute medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment and do not replace clinical judgment. Independently verify the inputs, equations, assumptions, units, and outputs, and confirm that the tool is appropriate for your intended use before relying on a result.
Watch: Cardiac power output (CPO)
eddyjoemd · 2021 · 14 min
A video discussion of cardiac power output and its prognostic role in cardiogenic shock. Pair this explanation with the formula, clinical context, and references on this page.
What is Cardiac power output (CPO)?
Cardiac power output combines the flow generated by the heart with the arterial pressure against which that flow is delivered. It expresses hydraulic pumping power in watts and adds pressure context to cardiac output alone.
How is it calculated?
CO × MAP / 451
CO is cardiac output in L/min; MAP is mean arterial pressure in mmHg. Dividing by 451 converts the pressure–flow product to watts. Use directly measured MAP when available.
Result units: W.
Clinical interpretation
Low conventional CPO is associated with worse outcomes in cardiogenic shock. The commonly used 0.6 W prognostic reference is a contextual risk marker, not a universal definition of shock, a normal range, or an automatic trigger for mechanical support. The SHOCK registry established the prognostic value of cardiac power in AMI-related shock.
Clinical considerations
Use simultaneous pressure and flow measurements. Vasopressors, inotropes, and mechanical support can change CPO without resolving the underlying disease.
Conventional CPO does not subtract RAP. The RAP-adjusted calculator uses a different pressure gradient; do not interchange their reference values.
References
- Belkin MN, Fudim M, Baratto C, et al. Standardization of Baseline and Provocative Invasive Hemodynamic Protocols for the Evaluation of Heart Failure and Pulmonary Hypertension. Circulation: Heart Failure. 2026;19:e000088. ↗
- Supplemental Table 1 — Advanced Hemodynamic Parameters (page 1; references on page 2) ↗
- Fincke R, Hochman JS, Lowe AM, et al. Cardiac power is the strongest hemodynamic correlate of mortality in cardiogenic shock: a report from the SHOCK trial registry. JACC. 2004. ↗
Independently created by MendelMD. These educational calculators are not provided, endorsed, or independently validated by the American Heart Association.