Irbesartan Versus Placebo in Combination With Ramipril for Treatment of Albuminuria

Inclusion Criteria: * Subjects must be willing and able to provide written informed consent. * Males and Females 55 years of age and over * Subjects must have a history of high blood pressure and elevated cardiovascular risk defined as one of the following: 1. Diabetes 2. Advanced coronary disease defined as previous myocardial infarction. Active angina, or significant changes in tests indicating ischemia 3. Artery disease in the legs, limiting walking capacity and/or blood flow in the legs 4. Stroke occurring more than 3 months prior to the screening visit * All subjects must also have albuminuria (protein in the urine) that is confirmed by a urine test at the first study visit. * All subjects must currently be treated with a class of drugs called ACE inhibitors (e.g., benazepril, captopril, enalapril, lisinopril, moexipril, ramipril, quinapril, perindopril) for at least 2 months prior to the study. * Women of childbearing potential (WOCBP) must be using adequate methods of contraception to avoid pregnancy throughout the study and four weeks after the study ends. Exclusion Criteria: * Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding. * Acute systemic febrile/infectious disease or infectious or inflammatory disease of the kidneys * Narrowing of the kidney arteries * Hypotension (low blood pressure) or very high blood pressure * Moderate or Severe Heart Failure * Chronic autoimmune disease * Cancer unless cured or no further treatment needed * Severe kidney failure * Allergy to drugs used in the study: ARBs (candesartan, irbesartan, losartan, telmisartan, valsartan, and/or any other ARB currently or previously in development) and ACE-inhibitors (benazepril, captopril, enalapril, lisinopril, moexipril, ramipril, quinapril, perindopril) * Administration of any other investigational drug within 30 days of planned enrollment into the study. * Any circumstances that would prevent coming for study visits or taking study drugs