Hypertension Pathology · Pathology

What happens to the 'vascular compliance' in chronic hypertension?

  1. It increases due to arterial smooth muscle relaxation
  2. It decreases due to wall thickening and fibrosis
  3. It remains largely unchanged
  4. It fluctuates based on heart rate
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Correct answer: It decreases due to wall thickening and fibrosis

In chronic hypertension, the arteries undergo structural remodeling including hyaline deposition and increased collagen synthesis. This makes the vessel walls stiffer and less compliant, which further exacerbates systolic hypertension.

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