Effects of Telmisartan by Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring (ABPM) in Chinese Patients With Mild to Moderate Essential Hypertension

Inclusion Criteria: * Chinese male or female aged 18 to 75 years * Mild to moderate hypertension defined as a morning DBP \_95 and \<110 mm Hg at visit1 and visit 2. Mean sitting systolic pressure (SBP) must be \<180 mm Hg * Ability to provide written informed consent Exclusion Criteria: * Women who are pregnant or breast-feeding, or of childbearing potential without an effective method of birth control (effective birth control methods are: uterine device, surgical sterilisation, progestogens alone) * Known or suspected secondary hypertension * Known history of any chronic hepatic disease * Bilateral renal artery stenosis; renal artery stenosis in a solitary kidney; post-renal transplant * New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional class congestive heart failure (CHF) III-IV * Unstable angina pectoris * Myocardial infarction or percutaneous transluminal coronary angiography (PTCA) or cardiac surgery within the preceding three months * Clinical relevant cardiac arrhythmias as determined by the clinical investigator * Hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy or clinically significant valvular disease * Evidence of retinal hemorrhages/exudates * Clinical significant hyperkalemia as defined by serum potassium level \>6.0 milliequivalents (mEq)/L * Insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus * Non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus with poor glucose control as defined by persistent fasting blood sugar \>200 mg/dl, peripheral neuropathy or autonomic neuropathy * Known drug or alcohol dependency * Administration of any diuretic, ACE inhibitor or angiotensin II receptor antagonist within two weeks before run-in period * Administration of medication known to affect blood pressure during trial period * Patients receiving any investigational therapy within one month of signing the informed consent form * Known hypersensitivity to any component of the formulation * Any other clinical condition which, in the opinion of the principal investigator, would not allow safe completion of the protocol and safe administration of trial medication