Q: Is uncontrolled hypertension a contributing factor/cause to the development of triple vessel disease and if so, is there available documentation about this?

A:Definitely! Even controlled hypertension poses some risk because hypertension is just not increased blood pressure but a disease whose one manifestation is increased blood pressure. Uncontrolled hypertension is one of the most important and reversible causes of atherosclerosis and triple vessel disease. More and more evidence is accumulating that blood pressure lowering needs to be very aggressive, sometimes needing multiple drugs. There is also proof that risk for heart attacks and stroke increase linearly from a BP of 115/75 upwards. That is why the American heart association says anything equal to or above 120/80 (even if less than 140/90) is pre-hypertension.