Decreased Cardiac Output: Nursing Diagnosis & Care Plan
🎓 Educational reference. Match to your patient's actual assessment data and have your instructor review it.
Definition: The heart is not pumping enough blood forward each minute to keep organs and tissues adequately supplied.
What is the Decreased Cardiac Output nursing diagnosis related to?
- Altered heart rate/rhythm
- Reduced contractility
- Fluid overload
What is Decreased Cardiac Output evidenced by?
- Fatigue, dyspnea
- Edema, JVD, abnormal heart sounds
- Altered vital signs
What are sample goals for the Decreased Cardiac Output nursing diagnosis?
- Patient maintains adequate perfusion (stable vitals, clear mentation, adequate urine output).
Which nursing interventions go with the Decreased Cardiac Output diagnosis?
- Monitor cardiac rhythm, vitals, and perfusion
- Give cardiac medications as ordered
- Balance activity and rest; monitor fluid status
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Build a care plan freeDecreased Cardiac Output nursing diagnosis: FAQ
What is the Decreased Cardiac Output nursing diagnosis?
The heart is not pumping enough blood forward each minute to keep organs and tissues adequately supplied.
What are the related factors for Decreased Cardiac Output?
Common related factors: Altered heart rate/rhythm; Reduced contractility; Fluid overload. In your care plan, write it as "Decreased Cardiac Output related to [factor] as evidenced by [your patient's data]."
What are nursing interventions for Decreased Cardiac Output?
Key interventions: Monitor cardiac rhythm, vitals, and perfusion; Give cardiac medications as ordered; Balance activity and rest; monitor fluid status, each with a rationale in your plan.
For nursing education only, NOT medical advice and not a clinical decision-making tool. Nothing here should be used to assess, diagnose, or treat any real patient. Care plans and answers are unverified study drafts to review with your instructor or a licensed clinician and adapt to the individual patient and your institution’s protocols before any use.
Last reviewed 2026-07. Educational content in standard clinical language; not medical advice and not affiliated with NANDA-I/NIC/NOC.