A 16 week multicenter randomized double blind study compared the efficacy and safety of azilsartan 20 40 mg once daily by forced titration and its ability to provide 24 h blood pressure BP control with that of candesartan cilexetil candesartan 8 12 mg once daily by forced titration . In all 622 patients with grade I II essential hypertension were enrolled in the study. Efficacy was assessed using clinic measured sitting BP and ambulatory BP monitoring ABPM at week 14. Subjects had a mean baseline sitting BP of 159.8 100.4 mm Hg. The mean change in sitting diastolic BP at week 16 was 12.4 mmHg in the azilsartan group compared to 9.8 mmHg in the candesartan group. There was a statistically significant greater reduction with azilsartan vs. candesartan difference 2.6 mmHg . The mean change from baseline in sitting systolic BP was 21.8 mmHg and 17.5 mmHg respectively. Again there was a significantly greater decrease with azilsartan vs. candesartan difference 4.4 mmHg . With ABPM the mean changes in diastolic and systolic BP at week 14 were also significantly greater with azilsartan over a 24 h period as well as during the daytime night time and early morning. Safety and tolerability were similar among the two groups. Once daily azilsartan yielded a more potent 24 h sustained antihypertensive effect as compared to candesartan. The findings are published in Hypertension Research.