Final answer:
The increased systolic blood pressure and the slight irregularities in heart rate and the split S2 heart sound observed in a 70-year-old patient can be explained by expected hemodynamic changes related to aging, such as stiffer blood vessels and altered heart and valve anatomy.
Step-by-step explanation:
In assessing a 70-year-old man with a blood pressure of 140/100 mm Hg, a heart rate of 104 beats per minute, and a split S2 heart sound, certain findings can be attributed to normal age-related hemodynamic changes. Firstly, as people age, the blood vessels tend to become stiffer. This can necessitate the heart to work harder to pump blood, potentially leading to an increase in systolic blood pressure, which is represented by the first number (140 mm Hg in this case) indicating the pressure when the heart contracts. Secondly, parts of the heart wall may thicken to help pump blood through these stiffer blood vessels, and the size of the heart chambers and the valves between them may alter, contributing to a slightly irregular heart rate and the split S2 sound, which is related to the timing of the closure of the aortic and pulmonary valves. The high diastolic pressure (100 mm Hg in this case), which reflects pressure during relaxation of the heart, could result from reduced elasticity in the arteries.