What physiological process occurs in the heart due to prolonged hypertension?

Prolonged hypertension, or high blood pressure, causes the heart to work harder than normal to pump blood against the increased pressure in the arteries. This leads to an adaptive response known as left ventricular hypertrophy, which is characterized by an increase in the size and mass of the heart's left ventricle. As the left ventricle thickens, it can initially help maintain cardiac output despite the increased workload.

Over time, however, this hypertrophy can have detrimental effects. It can lead to stiffness of the ventricle, reducing its ability to fill properly with blood and potentially leading to heart failure or other cardiac complications. Understanding this process is crucial for recognizing the long-term consequences of untreated hypertension on heart health.