Efficacy and Safety of Azilsartan Medoxomil in African American Participants With Essential Hypertension

Inclusion Criteria

• The participant has essential hypertension (defined as sitting trough clinic systolic blood pressure between 150 and 180 mm Hg, inclusive at Day -1) and 24-hour mean systolic blood pressure 130-170 mm Hg, inclusive, at Day 1.
• Females of childbearing potential who are sexually active must agree to use adequate contraception, and can neither be pregnant nor lactating from Screening throughout the duration of the study.
• Clinical laboratory evaluations within the reference range for the testing laboratory unless the results are deemed not clinically significant for inclusion into this study by the investigator.
• Willing to discontinue current antihypertensive medication.

Exclusion Criteria

• Has sitting trough clinic diastolic blood pressure greater than 114 mm Hg.
• Baseline 24 hour ambulatory blood pressure monitor reading of insufficient quality.
• Hypersensitive to angiotensin II receptor blockers.
• History of myocardial infarction, heart failure, unstable angina, coronary artery bypass graft, percutaneous coronary intervention, hypertensive encephalopathy, cerebrovascular accident, or transient ischemic attack.
• Clinically significant cardiac conduction defects.
• Hemodynamically significant left ventricular outflow obstruction due to aortic valvular disease.
• Secondary hypertension of any etiology.
• Non-compliant with study medication during run-in period.
• Severe renal dysfunction or disease (based on calculated creatinine clearance less than 30 mL/min/1.73 m2) at Screening.
• Known or suspected unilateral or bilateral renal artery stenosis.
• History of drug abuse or a history of alcohol abuse within the past 2 years.
• Previous history of cancer that has not been in remission for at least 5 years prior to the first dose of study drug.
• Type 1 or poorly controlled type 2 diabetes mellitus.
• Alanine aminotransferase level of greater than 2.5 times the upper limit of normal, active liver disease, or jaundice.
• Hyperkalemia.
• Upper arm circumference less than 24 cm or greater than 42 cm.
• Works night (3rd) shift.
• Currently is participating in another investigational study or has participated in an investigational study within 30 days prior to randomization.
• Any other serious disease or condition at Screening (or Randomization) that would compromise participant safety, might affect life expectancy, or make it difficult to successfully manage and follow the participant according to the protocol.
• Randomized in a previous azilsartan medoxomil study.
• Is required to take or continues taking any disallowed medication, prescription medication, herbal treatment or over-the counter medication that may interfere with evaluation of the study medication.