Study Population

Inclusion Criteria

Type 2 diabetes (non-insulin dependent)
Hypertension (seated systolic blood pressure 140–180 mmHg and diastolic blood pressure 90–110 mmHg)
Normo- or microalbuminuria
Diabetic nephropathy

Exclusion Criteria

Patients with type 1 diabetes
Patients with type 2 diabetes requiring the administration of insulin and/or glitazones
Patients with hyperlipidaemia requiring statins
Proliferative retinopathy
Congestive heart failure (New York Heart Association class III–IV)
Active coronary artery disease requiring revascularization
Unstable angina