To compare the change from baseline in MSSBP after 8 weeks of treatment with a valsartan and aliskiren treatment regimen (160/150 mg, 320/300 mg) versus a valsartan treatment regimen (160 mg, 320 mg) in patients with Stage 2 Hypertension.

Intent-to-treat (ITT) population consisted of all randomized patients who received at least 1 dose of study drug and had valid baseline and 1 valid post-baseline assessment of an efficacy variable. The last-observation-carried-forward (LOCF) method was used for replacing the missing values of the post-baseline assessments for ITT analysis at wk 8.

To compare the change in MSDBP after 8 weeks of treatment with a valsartan and aliskiren treatment regimen (160/150 mg, 320/300 mg) versus a valsartan (160 mg, 320 mg) treatment regimen in patients with Stage 2 Hypertension.

Intent-to-treat (ITT) population consisted of all randomized patients who received at least 1 dose of study drug and had valid baseline and 1 valid post-baseline assessment of an efficacy variable. The last-observation-carried-forward (LOCF) method was used for replacing the missing values of the post-baseline assessments for ITT analysis at wk 8.

To evaluate the percentage of patients achieving blood pressure control (defined as patients achieving a MSSBP <140 mmHg and MSDBP <90 mmHg) at week 8 following treatment with a valsartan and aliskiren treatment regimen (160/150 mg, 320/300 mg) versus a valsartan treatment regimen (160 mg, 320 mg) in patients with Stage 2 Hypertension.

The intent-to-treat (ITT) population consisted of all randomized patients who received at least one dose of study medication and had valid baseline and at least one valid post-baseline assessment of an efficacy variable.

To compare the percentage of responders (defined as patients with MSSBP <140 mmHg or a decrease from baseline ≥20 mmHg) at week 8 following treatment with a valsartan and aliskiren treatment regimen (160/150 mg, 320/300 mg) versus a valsartan treatment regimen (160 mg, 320 mg) in patients with Stage 2 Hypertension.

The intent-to-treat (ITT) population consisted of all randomized patients who received at least one dose of study medication and had valid baseline and at least one valid post-baseline assessment of an efficacy variable.

To assess the change from baseline in PRA after 8 weeks of treatment with a valsartan and aliskiren treatment regimen (160/150 mg, 320/300 mg) versus a valsartan treatment regimen (160 mg, 320 mg) in patients with Stage 2 Hypertension.

The intent-to-treat (ITT) population consisted of all randomized patients who received at least one dose of study medication and had valid baseline and at least one valid post-baseline assessment of an efficacy variable.

To assess the change from baseline in PRC after 8 weeks of treatment with a valsartan and aliskiren treatment regimen (160/150 mg, 320/300 mg) versus a valsartan treatment regimen (160 mg, 320 mg) in patients with Stage 2 Hypertension.

The intent-to-treat (ITT) population consisted of all randomized patients who received at least one dose of study medication and had valid baseline and at least one valid post-baseline assessment of an efficacy variable.

To evaluate the change from baseline in MSSBP (mmHg) at Week 8; primary efficacy variable at primary time point in ITT population - patients who completed the double-blind treatment period.

The analysis included ITT patients who completed the double-blind treatment period [those patients with a final observation at week 8, also known as observed cases (OC)]. This analysis differed from the ITT-LOCF analysis, in that it did not include patients who discontinued from the trial prematurely.

To evaluate the change from baseline in MSSBP (mmHg) after 8 weeks; primary efficacy variable (ITT population) using Longitudinal analysis (A repeated measures analysis where assessments over time are considered , as opposed to looking at a single point in time.)

The intent-to-treat (ITT) population consisted of all randomized patients who received at least one dose of study medication and had valid baseline and at least one valid post-baseline assessment of an efficacy variable.

To evaluate 24-hour ambulatory systolic blood pressure measurements in a subset of patients after 8 weeks of treatment with the combination of valsartan and aliskiren versus valsartan monotherapy in patients with stage 2 hypertension.

Patients who were willing to participate in the Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring (ABPM) substudy and who met the study inclusion and exclusion criteria for randomization.

To evaluate 24-hour ambulatory diastolic blood pressure measurements in a subset of patients after 8 weeks of treatment with the combination of valsartan and aliskiren versus valsartan monotherapy in patients with stage 2 hypertension.

Patients who were willing to participate in the ABPM substudy and who met the study inclusion and exclusion criteria for randomization.