A patient experiences chronically elevated blood pressure causing increased afterload. Which compensatory mechanism is most likely to initially limit cardiac output decline?

💡 Explanation

Left ventricular hypertrophy is a compensatory mechanism because it increases cardiac muscle mass and contractility, which helps maintain cardiac output despite increased afterload. Therefore, hypertrophy limits the initial decline, rather than parasympathetic activity or reduced baroreceptor sensitivity, which would exacerbate the situation.

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