A Clinical Study to Compare the Safety and Efficacy of an Aliskiren-based Regimen With a Lisinopril Based Regimen in Patients With Severe Hypertension

An Eight-week, Randomized, Double-blind, Multi-center, Active-controlled, Parallel Group Study to Evaluate the Safety and Efficacy of an Aliskiren-based Regimen Compared to a Lisinopril-based Regimen in Patients With Uncomplicated Severe Hypertension

To compare the safety and efficacy of an aliskiren-based regimen to a lisinopril-based regimen in the treatment of severe hypertension

Inclusion Criteria

• Patients with essential severe hypertension Exclusion Criteria
• History or evidence of a secondary form of hypertension
• History of hypertensive encephalopathy or cerebrovascular accident.
• Diabetic patients requiring insulin Other protocol-defined inclusion/exclusion criteria also apply