Efficacy and Safety of Valsartan, Hydrochlorothiazide and Amlodipine Combination Therapy in Hypertension

Inclusion Criteria: * Male or female patients ≥18 years of age * Patients treated with up to two high blood pressure medications in a stable dose considered adequate by the investigator, for a minimum of two months, with blood pressure not controlled according to the following criteria: * Systolic Blood Pressure ≥140 mmHg and/or Diastolic Blood Pressure ≥90 mmHg for low risk patients (no known target organ damage and without risk factor or presenting 1 - except Type 2 diabetes mellitus - risk factor); * Systolic Blood Pressure ≥130 and/or Diastolic Blood Pressure ≥85 mmHg for medium risk patients (no known target organ damage and 2 or more risk factors - except Type 2 diabetes mellitus); * Systolic Blood Pressure ≥130 and/or Diastolic Blood Pressure ≥80 mmHg for high risk patients (known target organ damage, and/or Type 2 diabetic patients and/or any clinically identifiable cardiovascular disease). OR * Systolic Blood Pressure ≥160 mmHg and/or Diastolic Blood Pressure ≥100 mmHg at Visits 1 and 2 for previously untreated patients * Patients previously treated but who stopped their medications will be considered untreated after one month without treatment * Obs: -The target organ are: Brain, Heart, Kidney, Retina. * The risk factors are: Smoking, Dyslipidemia, Age \> 60 years old, and Family history of cardiovascular diseases (women \< 65 years old and men \< 55 years old Exclusion Criteria: * Systolic Blood Pressure ≥180 mmHg and/or Diastolic Blood Pressure ≥110 mmHg at Visit 1 or Visit 2 * Evidence of a secondary form of hypertension, to include coarctation of the aorta, primary hyperaldosteronism, renal artery stenosis, or pheochromocytoma * Known Keith-Wagener grade III or IV hypertensive retinopathy * History of hypertensive encephalopathy * Cerebrovascular accident or myocardial infarction 12 months prior to Visit 1 * History of transient ischemic attack 12 months prior to Visit 1 * Percutaneous coronary intervention or coronary artery bypass graft surgery 12 months prior to Visit 1 * Diabetes mellitus type 1 * Diabetes mellitus type 2 under insulin treatment * Poorly controlled type 2 diabetes mellitus * History of heart failure Grade II - IV according to the NYHA classification * Second or third degree heart block without a pacemaker * Concomitant unstable angina pectoris * Concomitant potentially life threatening arrhythmia or symptomatic arrhythmia * Clinically significant valvular heart disease * Women of child-bearing potential * Pregnant or nursing (lactating) women * Any surgical or medical condition which, at the discretion of the investigator, place the patient at higher risk from his/her participation in the study, or are likely to prevent the patient from complying with the requirements of the study or completing the trial period * Additional protocol-defined inclusion/exclusion criteria may apply