Patients with insulin resistance and an activated inflammation are prone for cardiovascular complications like myocardial infarction or stroke. Pharmacological interventions reducing vascular inflammation are thought to reduce cardiovascular risk in diabetic and in non-diabetic patients.~Intervention with ACE inhibitors like ramipril is an established and widely used treatment for patients with high blood pressure, proven to reduce cardiovascular risk. Treatment of non-diabetic patients with pioglitazone has shown to improve the cardiovascular risk profile in non-diabetic patients beyond its effect on blood glucose levels.~The purpose of this study is to evaluate effects on low grade inflammation and vascular function of pioglitazone in non-diabetic, hypertensive patients with pre treatment with angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (that will be replaced by the study medication at time of randomization).
The purpose of this study is to determine the effects of pioglitazone, once daily (QD), on low grade inflammation and vascular function in hypertensive patients.