This document discusses venous return and the regulation of cardiac output. It defines venous return as the rate at which blood returns to the heart from the peripheral vascular beds. Cardiac output is determined by stroke volume and heart rate. Venous return must equal cardiac output under normal conditions. Factors that influence venous return include peripheral venous pressure, central venous pressure, blood volume, sympathetic tone, and parasympathetic tone. An increase in venous return leads to an increase in central venous pressure and cardiac output.