Which of the following is a consequence of high systolic pressure?

High systolic pressure, which is the top number in a blood pressure reading, indicates the force exerted on the artery walls when the heart beats. When this pressure is elevated, the heart must work harder to pump blood throughout the body. This increased workload can lead to various cardiovascular issues over time, including hypertrophy of the heart muscle, which is a thickening of the heart walls. This can result in decreased efficiency in pumping blood and may increase the risk of heart failure and other complications.

In contrast, the other options do not accurately reflect the consequences of high systolic pressure. For instance, lower risk of heart disease is not associated with high systolic pressure; rather, higher readings often correlate with a greater risk of heart conditions. Similarly, better oxygen delivery to tissues typically requires balanced blood pressure, and decreased blood flow to organs can result from complications arising from hypertension but is not a direct consequence of high systolic pressure itself. Thus, the choice indicating increased workload on the heart effectively explains the physiological stress and potential health risks posed by elevated systolic pressure.