2. To explore the effect of 160/320 mg valsartan on additional inflammatory markers in plasma [e.g. C-Reactive protein (CRP), soluble intracellular adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1), soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (sVCAM-1), serum amyloid A (SAA), soluble CD40 ligand (sCD40L), fibrinogen, Interleukin 1β (IL-1β), matrix metalloproteases -2, -3 and -9 (MMP-2, -3, -9), and sE-selectin)].