Open-Label Long-Term Safety and Efficacy Study of Fixed Dose Combination of Nifedipine Gastrointestinal Therapeutic System and Candesartan Cilexetil in Subjects With Moderate to Severe Essential Hypertension

Inclusion Criteria:

- Subjects must have moderate to severe essential hypertension (Grade 2 or Grade 3, WHO
classifications). At Visit 1, subjects not treated with antihypertensive medications
are to have MSSBP of >/= 160 mmHg and < 200 mmHg, as measured by a calibrated
electronic BP measuring device. For other subjects who are treated with
antihypertensive medication before, they should have MSSBP >/= 160 mmHg and <200 mmHg
after wash out.

- Women of childbearing potential and men must agree to use adequate contraception other
than hormonal contraceptives when sexually active

Exclusion Criteria:

- Mean seated systolic blood pressure >/= 200 mmHg and/or mean seated diastolic blood
pressure >/= 120 mm/Hg

- Mean seated diastolic blood pressure < 60 mm/Hg

- Differences greater than 20 mmHg for systolic blood pressure and 10 mmHg for diastolic
blood pressure are present on 3 consecutive blood pressure readings at visit 0

- Any history of hypertensive emergency

- Evidence of secondary hypertension such as coarctation of the aorta, pheochromocytoma,
hyperaldosteronism, etc.

- Cerebrovascular ischemic event (stroke, transient ischemic attack [TIA])within the
previous 12 months

- History of intracerebral hemorrhage or subarachnoid hemorrhage

- History of hypertensive retinopathy - known Keith-Wagener Grade III or IV

- Any history of heart failure, New York Heart Association (NYHA) classification III or
IV

- Severe coronary heart disease as manifest by a history of myocardial infarction or
unstable angina in the last 6 months prior to visit 0

- Type 1 diabetes mellitus (DM) or poorly controlled Type 2 DM as evidenced by HbA1C of
greater than 9% on visit 0.

- Hyperkalemia: potassium above the upper limit of normal in the laboratory range