The Effect of Eprosartan on Hormones and Kidney Function in Patients With Essential Hypertension

Inclusion Criteria: * Age 18 - 65 years. * Body mass index less or equal to 30 kg/m2. * Women must use oral hormonal anticonceptive drugs, use intrauterine anticonceptive device, be sterilized / hysterectomized or be postmenopausal. * Arterial hypertension, defined by 24 hour ambulatory blood pressure above 125 mmHg systolic or above 80 mmHg diastolic. Exclusion Criteria: * History of myocardial infarction. * History of stroke. * Heart failure. * Endocrine organ disease. * Lung disease. * Clinically significant abnormal biochemical screening of the blood regarding: B-hemoglobin, P-sodium, P-potassium, P-creatinine (under 200 µmol/L will be accepted), P-albumin, p-bilirubin, p-alaninaminotransferase, P-alkaline phosphatase, p-cholesterol and B-glucose. * Clinically significant abnormal screening of the urine regarding: albumin and glucose (protein excretion below 0.5 g/L will be accepted). * Renovascular hypertension. * Malignant disease. * Alcohol abuse. * Usage of medical drugs besides antihypertensives or statins. * Drug abuse. * Pregnancy or breast feeding. * Known intolerance or allergic to eprosartan or sodium nitroprusside. * Blood donation within 1 month of the start of the study.