Olmesartan/HCTZ 40/12.5 mg Combination Therapy Versus Olmesartan Medoxomil 40 mg Monotherapy in Essential Hypertension

Methodology: After the signature of the informed consent, patients were screened for eligibility and eligible patients entered into a pre-randomisation period consisting of a taper-off phase of approximately 1-2 weeks (during which patients treated for hypertension were to discontinue their antihypertensive therapy) followed by a 2-week single-blind placebo run-in phase (Visit 1). After conclusion of the placebo run-in phase (Visit 2), eligible patients were randomised to the double-blind active treatment period which consisted of two phases: First double-blind treatment phase (Phase A, from Randomisation to Week 8): Eligible patients with mean sitting sBP ≥ 160 and ≤ 200 mmHg and dBP ≥ 100 mmHg and ≤ 120 mmHg were randomised in a 1:2 ratio to receive either OM 40 mg or OM/HCTZ 40/12.5 mg for a total of 8 weeks of treatment (Phase A). Study visits were held after 4 and 8 weeks of double-blind active treatment (Visit 3 and 4, respectively). After 8 weeks (Visit 4), patients reaching the BP goal of \< 140/90 mmHg or \< 130/80 mmHg for diabetics were considered as responders. All patients (responders and non-responders) then entered into the titration phase of the study (Phase B): Second double-blind treatment phase/titration phase (Phase B, from Week 8 to Week 16): Treatment assignment in the second part of the study was based on the following criteria: * Responders to Phase A treatment continued to receive the same double-blind treatment for an additional 8 weeks. * Non-responders Phase A treatment had their treatment assigned as follows: * Non-responders to OM 40 mg were treated with OM/HCTZ 40/12.5 mg for an additional 8 weeks. * Non-responders to OM/HCTZ 40/12.5 mg were uptitrated to OM/HCTZ 40/25 mg for an additional 8 weeks. During Phase B of the study, visits were held 12 and 16 weeks after randomisation (Visits 5 and 6, respectively). The study ended at Visit 6 and a final examination was performed. A safety follow-up (SFU) telephone contact was performed 2 weeks after the end of the treatment. An SFU visit was performed if deemed necessary by the investigator. Sphygmomanometer was used for BP measurement throughout the trial. BP was measured at all visits as nearly as possible at the same time of the day as trough readings (24 ± 2 h after last drug intake) after a 10 minute rest period. Three separate sitting BP measurements were taken at least 1 minute apart from each other. The 3 results were then averaged and rounded to a whole integer. Patients with sBP values \> 200 mmHg and/or dBP values \> 120 mmHg at any time during the study were to be discontinued from the study.