| Methods |
2‐week washout; 2‐ to 4‐week placebo run‐in; inclusion criteria= mean sitting DBP 95‐115 mm Hg and a difference between enrolment and randomisation not > 10 mm Hg; 8‐week double‐blind treatment |
| Participants |
Valsartan 80 mg: n=99(63 males, 36 females); mean age=52(10.2) years: baseline sitting SBP=153.7(14.4) mm Hg, DBP=101.5(4.9) mm Hg;
Valsartan 160 mg: n=99(61 males, 38 females); mean age=52(10.5) years: baseline sitting SBP=153.5(15.1) mm Hg, DBP=101.5(4.8) mm Hg;
Placebo: n=94(58 males, 36 females); mean age=52(10.4) years: baseline sitting SBP=152.7(17.1) mm Hg, DBP=101.4(5.0) mm Hg |
| Interventions |
Valsartan 80 mg once daily;
Valsartan 160 mg once daily;
Placebo;
taken in the morning |
| Outcomes |
Mean change from baseline in trough sitting SBP/DBP using mercury sphygmomanometer |
| Notes |
Placebo‐corrected BP change reported, SD of change not reported, endpoint BP and SD not reported, baseline SD reported; imputed baseline SBP SD for SBP SD of change; imputed overall trial mean DBP SD of change; BP data from Table 2, p. 864; Jadad score=3; funding source= Novartis Pharma |
| Risk of bias |
| Bias |
Authors' judgement |
Support for judgement |
| Allocation concealment? |
Unclear risk |
B ‐ Unclear |
