A Clinical Study to Assess Efficacy and Safety of Aliskiren in the Elderly With High Blood Pressure

An 8-week, Randomized, Double-blind, Parallel-group, Multicenter Study Assessing the Efficacy and Safety of Aliskiren 75 mg, 150 mg, and 300 mg in Patients With at Least 65 Years of Age With Essential Hypertension, Using 24-hour ABPM, With Lisinopril 10 mg as a Reference

After a wash-out (1 to 2 weeks), and 2 to 4 week single-blind placebo run-in period, eligible patients will be randomized to receive lisinopril 10 mg, aliskiren 75 mg, 150 mg or 300 mg for a period of 8 weeks

Inclusion Criteria

• Patients with at least 65 years-old
• Patients with essential hypertension Exclusion Criteria
• Severe hypertension
• History or evidence of a secondary form of hypertension
• History of Hypertensive encephalopathy or cerebrovascular accident. Other protocol-defined inclusion exclusion criteria also apply.