What is typically measured to assess cardiac health in drug evaluation?

Blood pressure is a critical metric when assessing cardiac health during drug evaluations. It provides insights into how well the heart is functioning and can indicate the presence of various cardiovascular issues. High blood pressure, for instance, can signal the heart is overworked or that there are issues with blood vessels, potentially influenced by the use of certain drugs. Conversely, low blood pressure may indicate inadequate blood flow to vital organs, which can be detrimental to health.

While heart rate variability is also an important metric in assessing cardiac health, it is more specifically related to the autonomic nervous system's regulation of heart function and variability between beats. Oxygen saturation is crucial for understanding how well oxygen is being delivered throughout the body but doesn't specifically indicate how well the heart is working. Blood temperature is generally not used in cardiac assessments related to drug evaluations. Therefore, blood pressure stands out as the most relevant measure in this context.