What physiological change occurs in response to chronic hypertension?

In chronic hypertension, the heart and blood vessels undergo several adaptations to cope with the increased workload. One significant physiological change is left ventricular hypertrophy, which refers to the thickening of the heart's left ventricle walls. This adaptation occurs because the left ventricle must work harder to pump blood against the elevated resistance caused by high blood pressure.

As the left ventricle experiences this increased workload over time, it responds by enlarging its muscle fibers, leading to a thicker myocardial wall. This hypertrophy helps maintain adequate cardiac output despite the high vascular resistance, at least in the early stages. However, over time, this condition can lead to decreased efficiency and increased oxygen demand of the heart, potentially contributing to heart failure and other cardiovascular complications.

The other choices do not accurately reflect the physiological changes typically seen with chronic hypertension. For instance, decreased cardiac output is not a direct result of chronic hypertension; in fact, the heart often maintains or increases output initially. Increased flexibility of arteries generally signifies better health and is contrary to the stiffening effect caused by chronic hypertension. Finally, reduced heart muscle mass is not characteristic of chronic hypertension, as the condition typically results in increased mass due to hypertrophy rather than a decrease.