Final answer:
Severe or resistant hypertension may require three or more drugs for treatment, including antihypertensive medications like thiazide-diuretics, calcium channel blockers, ACE inhibitors, and ARBs. These medications are combined to achieve better blood pressure control and reduce cardiovascular risks.
Step-by-step explanation:
The type of hypertension that requires treatment by three or more drugs is typically a more severe or resistant form. This level of high blood pressure often doesn’t respond to lifestyle changes or an initial class of medications alone. Antihypertensive medications, such as thiazide-diuretics, calcium channel blockers, ACE inhibitors, and angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs), are commonly prescribed. In cases where hypertension is difficult to control, a combination of these may be necessary to minimize counter-regulatory mechanisms that elevate blood pressure. Such complex cases of hypertension may greatly increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases, including stroke, and therefore require aggressive medical intervention using multiple medications.