Study to Demonstrate the Non-inferiority of Olmesartan Medoxomil Versus Candesartan Cilexetil in Reducing Blood B-type (or Brain) Natriuretic Peptide Levels at Week 24

Exclusion Criteria

• •Females who are pregnant or plan a pregnancy during the time of the trial, are nursing or are of childbearing potential and not using acceptable methods of contraception. If a female becomes pregnant during the study, she has to be withdrawn immediately
• •Patients with current hospitalisation due to heart failure
• •Patients with stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA) within the last 3 months
• •Patients with acute coronary syndrome, myocardial infarction, coronary artery bypass or angioplasty within 3 months
• •Planned cardiac surgery, revascularization or resynchronization within the study period
• •Patients with operable valvular disease or significant obstructive cardiomyopathy
• •Patients with bradycardia \[heart rate (HR) \< 50 bpm\]
• •Patients with hypotension \[systolic blood pressure (SBP) \< 90 mmHg\]
• •Patients with obstructive pneumopathy
• •Patients with clinical significant renal failure (creatininemia \> 200 micromol/l)