A Clinical Study to Compare Long-term Efficacy and Safety of an Aliskiren Based Regimen to a Hydrochlorothiazidebased Treatment Regimen With Optional Addition of Amlodipine

A Twenty Six-week, Randomized, Double-blind, Parallel Group, Multicenter, Active Controlled, Dose Titration Study to Evaluate the Efficacy and Safety of Aliskiren Compared to HCTZ With the Optional Addition of Amlodipine, Followed by a Second Twenty Six Weeks of Blinded Treatment, in Patients With Essential Hypertension

This study is designed to compare the long-term efficacy and safety of an aliskiren based regimen to an HCTZ based treatment regimen with optional addition of amlodipine in patients with essential hypertension.

Inclusion Criteria:

-Patients with essential hypertension

Exclusion Criteria:

• Severe hypertension
• History or evidence of a secondary form of hypertension
• History of myocardial infarction. Other protocol-defined inclusion exclusion criteria also apply