Which one of the following is a potential consequence of high systemic vascular resistance?

The choice indicating increased blood pressure as a consequence of high systemic vascular resistance is accurate. When systemic vascular resistance rises, the heart must generate more pressure to overcome the resistance in the blood vessels to maintain adequate blood flow. This increased pressure can lead to higher overall blood pressure readings.

Increased systematic vascular resistance typically results from factors such as vasoconstriction, which narrows the blood vessels, leading to the elevation in blood pressure. Chronic high blood pressure can further strain the cardiovascular system, potentially leading to complications such as heart failure or hypertensive crisis.

The other potential consequences from the other choices do not accurately reflect the direct impact of increased systemic vascular resistance. For example, increased stroke volume typically suggests that the heart is pumping more effectively, which is not directly associated with increased resistance. Additionally, decreased myocardial workload tends to occur with lower resistance or improved ventricular function, rather than increased resistance levels. Finally, reduced cardiac output could occur as a result of a compensatory mechanism against high resistance, but the primary immediate effect is on blood pressure rather than a decrease in output itself. Thus, it is the relationship between systemic vascular resistance and blood pressure that strengthens the correctness of increased blood pressure as a consequence.