Final answer:
The expected funduscopic finding in a patient with a history of high blood pressure is narrowing of the arterioles, an indication of hypertensive retinopathy. Other related changes such as increased cup:disk ratio, macular degeneration, and cotton-wool spots are associated with different conditions or more advanced stages of retinal damage.
Step-by-step explanation:
The anticipated funduscopic finding in a 52-year-old woman with a long history of uncontrolled high blood pressure is a) Narrowing of arterioles. Chronic high blood pressure can lead to hypertensive retinopathy, where the damage is evident in the retinal vasculature. The high pressure in the vessels leads to adaptive changes such as arteriolar narrowing, indicating an attempt by the body to regulate the blood flow and pressure in the delicate retinal tissue. Other findings associated with more advanced stages of hypertensive retinopathy include arteriovenous nicking, hemorrhages, exudates, and in severe cases, cotton-wool spots, which are microinfarcts of the nerve fiber layer in the retina. However, the initial change is typically the narrowing of arterioles.
An increased cup:disk ratio is often associated with conditions like glaucoma, where increased intraocular pressure causes optic nerve damage. Macular degeneration is related to age and the breakdown of the retinal pigment epithelium supporting the macula, not directly linked to high blood pressure. Cotton-wool spots can occur in advanced stages and are not the first observable sign of damage from high blood pressure.