JBL EMT Practice Exam

With increasing age, the heart must work harder to move the blood effectively because:

1. diastolic blood pressure decreases

2. the arteries dilate significantly

3. the blood thickens as a person ages

4. the blood vessels become stiff

The correct answer is: diastolic blood pressure decreases

As individuals age, their blood vessels tend to lose some of their elasticity and become stiffer, which can lead to increased resistance in blood flow and, consequently, an increased workload for the heart to effectively pump blood throughout the body. Therefore, the correct answer is A because with increasing age, diastolic blood pressure tends to decrease, which requires the heart to work harder to maintain adequate circulation and perfusion. Options B, C, and D are incorrect as they do not directly relate to the increased workload of the heart with age. Arteries dilating significantly, blood thickening, and blood vessels becoming stiff may have other health implications but are not directly responsible for the increased effort required by the heart as a person ages.