The first two factors influence the filling capacity of the ventricle, determining how much blood fills the ventricle and the ease with which the ventricle is filled at the available pressure. Together, these factors determine the end-diastolic volume (EDV), sometimes referred to as the preload. The last two characteristics influence the ventricle’s ability to empty during systole, determining the force with which blood is ejected and the pressure against which it must be expelled into the arteries. The latter factor, the aortic mean pressure, which represents resistance to blood being ejected from the left ventricle (and to a less important extent, the pulmonary artery pressure resistance to flow from the right ventricle), is referred to as the afterload. These four factors combine to determine the SV during acute exercise.