Which of the following is a result of decreased venous return?

Decreased venous return refers to a reduction in the volume of blood returning to the heart from the periphery, which can lead to specific physiological changes in the vascular system. When venous return decreases, the amount of blood in the veins and the pressure within the veins can also change significantly.

An increase in interstitial pressure occurs when there is less venous return because the blood that typically would fill the veins is reduced, leading to increased hydrostatic pressure in the capillaries. This rise in capillary pressure can result in fluid being pushed out of the capillaries into the surrounding interstitial space, thereby increasing interstitial pressure. This process can contribute to possible edema, as the excess fluid accumulates in the interstitial areas.

On the other hand, decreased venous return would not lead to increased venous volume, as the definition already implies a reduction in the volume of blood returning to the heart. Consequently, there would be a tendency toward decreased interstitial pressure due to less fluid moving into the interstitial spaces or an unchanged venous pressure, but those factors don't support the chosen answer of increased interstitial pressure.

Thus, the relationship between decreased venous return and increased interstitial pressure is crucial in understanding fluid dynamics in the body