What condition can arise from the excess workload on the heart due to hypertension?

Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) occurs as a physiological response to the increased workload on the heart caused by hypertension. When blood pressure is consistently high, the heart must work harder to pump blood against this elevated pressure. This increased workload causes the muscle walls of the left ventricle to thicken, resulting in LVH.

This adaptation can initially help the heart meet the demands of high blood pressure, but over time, the thickening can lead to reduced flexibility and impaired ability to pump effectively, which can contribute to further cardiac issues. Consequently, while LVH is a direct result of the excess stress placed on the heart due to hypertension, other conditions like heart failure or coronary artery disease can also stem from prolonged hypertension through different mechanisms, but these are not the immediate condition resulting from the increased workload in response to high blood pressure.