Gordon McInnes: professor of clinical pharmacology, past president of the British Hypertension Society, and key figure in cardiovascular research

Known as “Big Gordon” by colleagues—not least on account of his stature (he was 2 m tall)—Gordon McInnes, who has died suddenly aged 77, was a huge figure in the areas of hypertension, stroke prevention, and clinical pharmacology. At a time of landmark discoveries in cardiovascular medicine, he was a gifted academic and a much sought after speaker, who could communicate complex subjects in a memorable way. He had a strong stage presence and could engage audiences, from time to time illustrating talks with humorous images, such as a bowl of chips captioned “Glasgow salad.”

Born in Scotland and working most of his life in Glasgow, McInnes was profoundly aware of the country’s high rates of cardiovascular disease and was among the first to research the connection between deprivation and stroke. A colleague remarked, “A key driver for Gordon was how to improve the lot of people in the west of Scotland.” …