Reductions in blood pressure during the last 6 hours of the 24-hour dosing interval as measured by ABPM in patients treated with telmisartan (MICARDIS®) compared to patients treated with ramipril. The primary analysis will consist of a closed testing procedure first testing for non-inferiority of telmisartan 80mg (MICARDIS®) compared to ramipril 10mg after fourteen weeks of treatment in the reduction in diastolic blood pressure (DBP); if significant, testing for superiority of telmisartan 80 mg (MICARDIS®) compared to ramipril 10 mg in the reduction in DBP; if significant, testing for superiority of telmisartan 80 mg (MICARDIS®) compared to ramipril 10 mg in the reduction of systolic blood pressure (SBP); if significant, testing for non-inferiority of telmisartan 80 mg (MICARDIS®) compared to ramipril 5 mg after eight weeks of treatment in the reduction in DBP; if significant, testing for superiority of telmisartan 80 mg (MICARDIS®) compared to ramipril 5 mg in the reduction in DBP; and if significant, testing for superiority of telmisartan 80mg (MICARDIS®) compared to ramipril 5mg in the reduction in SBP.