The Nurse Has Noted Increasing Afterload in a Patient in the ICU

The nurse has noted increasing afterload in a patient in the ICU. How would the nurse expect this increase to affect the patient's cardiac output?

A) If afterload is high, cardiac output will be increased because the heart rate increases during afterload.
B) If afterload is high, cardiac output will be increased due to the increased volume in the heart.
C) If afterload is high, cardiac output will be decreased due to high systemic vascular resistance.
D) If afterload is high, cardiac output will be decreased due to decreased contractility.