Telmisartan in Mild to Moderate Hypertensive Patients

Inclusion Criteria: * Patients with blood pressure levels of 140/90 mm Hg or higher (confirmed on 2 consecutive visits), who were 18 years old and older, regardless of sex Exclusion Criteria: * Suspected or known diagnosis of arterial hypertension with a secondary cause * Women who were not using an effective method of contraception, or who were pregnant, or breast-feeding * Systolic blood pressure \> 200 mm Hg or diastolic blood pressure \> 115 mm Hg * Laboratory test values two fold above the upper normal limit * Previous intolerance to angiotensin conversion enzyme inhibitors or angiotensin II blocker (AIIAR) * New York Heart Association class III or IV heart failure * History of stroke in the 6 months prior to entry into the study * Uncontrolled type 2 diabetes mellitus, defined as fasting glucose levels \> 140 mg/dL on 3 consecutive assessments * Patients who were included in another investigational drug study in the past 30 days