A 65-year-old male with a history of untreated hypertension is now experiencing left heart fail-ure. A nurse recalls his untreated hypertension led to:

a. ventricular dilation and wall thinning.
b. myocardial hypertrophy and ventricular remodeling.
c. inhibition of renin and aldosterone.
d. alterations in alpha and beta receptor function.

ANS: B
With hypertension comes increased afterload and resistance to ventricular emptying and more workload for the ventricle, which responds with hypertrophy of the myocardium and ventricular remodeling. Ventricular dilation can occur, but the wall will thicken, not thin. Renin and aldos-terone release are increased, not inhibited. Alterations in alpha and beta functioning may occur, but the response to hypertension is myocardial hypertrophy and ventricular remodeling.