Question

When considering the relationship between blood pressure (BP), cardiac output (CO), and total peripheral resistance (TPR), what happens when hypertension increases afterload?

A) Hypertension leads to an immediate and sustained decrease in blood pressure due to increased afterload.
B) Initially, hypertension increases afterload, causing a temporary decrease in blood pressure, but compensatory mechanisms, such as sympathetic nervous system activation, result in a subsequent rise in blood pressure.
C) Hypertension has no effect on blood pressure as other regulatory mechanisms quickly counteract any increase in afterload.
D) Hypertension primarily affects stroke volume, leading to an immediate increase in blood pressure.

Answer 1

Hypertension initially increases afterload, causing a temporary decrease in blood pressure. Compensatory mechanisms like sympathetic nervous system activation then result in a subsequent rise in blood pressure.

Step-by-step explanation:

When hypertension increases afterload, it initially causes an increase in afterload, which results in a temporary decrease in blood pressure. However, compensatory mechanisms, such as sympathetic nervous system activation, are triggered, leading to a subsequent rise in blood pressure.