Cardiac Output Regulation

A 52-year-old man with a history of hypertension presents with dyspnea on exertion and fatigue. On examination, his blood pressure is 160/100 mmHg, heart rate 88 bpm, and JVP is elevated at 8 cm H₂O. Echocardiography shows left ventricular hypertrophy with reduced ejection fraction (35%), and cardiac catheterization reveals elevated left ventricular end-diastolic pressure (LVEDP = 22 mmHg). Which of the following best explains the reduced cardiac output in this patient?

Which of the following is the primary mechanism by which an increase in venous return leads to an increase in cardiac output according to the Frank-Starling law?

In the regulation of cardiac output, which autonomic mechanism acts to increase heart rate and contractility in response to a decrease in blood pressure?