Does decreasing sympathetic stimulation decrease cardiac output?

Answer 1

Not necessarily. The bodies autonomous nervous system is composed of two types. Sympathetic, and parasympathetic. Also known as the fight or flight system. Sympathetic stimulation causes increased: Blood pressure, heart rate, cardiac output, faster nervous response, and heightened awareness. Stimulation of the parasympathetic nervous system causes the opposite. A heart rate that is too fast has decreased cardiac output because, to put it simply, he chambers of the heart don't have time to refill with blood to full capacity before being contracted again, thus reducing the amount of oxygenated blood being pumped with each contraction. Slowing down the sympathetic response will slow the heart rate enough to allow the chambers to fill adequately before contracting again, increasing cardiac output. In a normally beating heart, however, decreasing the sympathetic stimulation by means of a parasympathomimetic drug (which mimics the parasympathetic nervous system, will decrease cardiac output. The answer to this question is dependent on the situation.

Answer 2

Yes