Comparison of Two Treatment Strategies in Hypertensive Patients

A 8-week Comparison, in a General Practice Setting, Between Two Treatment Strategies With Valsartan and Valsartan/HCTZ Aiming at Normalizing de Novo Hypertensive Patients Who Are Not Adequately Controlled With Their Monotherapy or Biotherapy Treatment or Experiencing Unacceptable Side-effects, According to Their Baseline Blood Pressure

The purpose of the study is to determine whether a specific training of General Practitioners (Family Physicians) regarding the new official guidelines for the treatment of hypertension results in a higher control of high Blood pressure in their patient population.

Inclusion Criteria:

• • Male or female patients >18 years of age

  • Hypertension defined by MSDBP ≥ 90 and /or MSSBP ≥ 140 mmHg for untreated patients, patients on diet and exercise, patients on current anti-hypertensive monotherapy or bitherapy treatment who remain uncontrolled or patients experiencing unacceptable side-effects,

Exclusion Criteria:

• • Severe hypertension, secondary hypertension, type 1 diabetes mellitus

  • History of congestive heart failure, unstable coronary insufficiency, life threatening arrhythmia, significant valvular disease, second or third degree heart block etc.
  • Other protocol-defined exclusion criteria may apply.