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What term describes the reduced ability of blood vessels to respond to changes with advancing age?
Vascular compliance
Cardiac output
Blood viscosity
Arterial stiffness
The correct answer is: Vascular compliance
The correct term that describes the reduced ability of blood vessels to respond to changes with advancing age is arterial stiffness. As individuals age, their blood vessels, particularly arteries, can become less elastic and more rigid, leading to arterial stiffness. This change can significantly impact cardiovascular health because it affects how well the heart can pump blood through the body and can contribute to increased blood pressure. Vascular compliance refers to how easily blood vessels can expand and contract with pressure changes; while it is related to the elasticity of blood vessels, it does not specifically denote the degradation that occurs with aging. Cardiac output is a measure of the amount of blood the heart pumps per minute and is influenced by various factors, including heart rate and stroke volume, but it does not describe vessel responsiveness. Blood viscosity refers to the thickness of blood and how easily it flows, which is also not directly related to the changes in blood vessel elasticity as one ages.