Which percentage of cardiac output does the liver receive?

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Multiple Choice

Which percentage of cardiac output does the liver receive?

Hepatic blood flow comes from two sources and, together, amounts to roughly a quarter of the body's workload. The portal vein delivers most of the liver’s inflow, with the hepatic artery supplying the remaining portion. When you compare this combined inflow to the heart’s output, the liver typically receives about 25–30% of cardiac output. In a typical adult with a cardiac output around 5 L/min, that’s approximately 1.3–1.5 L/min for the liver, which comes out to about 28% of CO. The other numbers would place the liver’s share outside the usual 25–30% range, so 28% is the best reflection of this relationship.

Hepatic blood flow comes from two sources and, together, amounts to roughly a quarter of the body's workload. The portal vein delivers most of the liver’s inflow, with the hepatic artery supplying the remaining portion. When you compare this combined inflow to the heart’s output, the liver typically receives about 25–30% of cardiac output. In a typical adult with a cardiac output around 5 L/min, that’s approximately 1.3–1.5 L/min for the liver, which comes out to about 28% of CO. The other numbers would place the liver’s share outside the usual 25–30% range, so 28% is the best reflection of this relationship.

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