Hypertension Increases ________ Causing Stroke Volume to ________

Question

Hypertension increases ________ causing stroke volume to ________.
A) afterload; increase
B) afterload; decrease
C) preload; increase
D) preload; decrease
E) contractility; increase

Accepted Answer

Hypertension increases afterload, which is the pressure the heart must work against to eject blood during systole. An increase in afterload generally leads to a decrease in stroke volume because the heart has to work harder to overcome the higher pressure, making it less efficient at pumping blood.