^aThe Conway Institute of Biomolecular and Biomedical Research, University College Dublin, Ireland

^bdabl Ltd., Blackrock Co., Dublin, Ireland

^cHypertension Center, Third University Department of Medicine, Sotiria Hospital, Athens, Greece

^dIstituto Scientifico Ospedale San Luca, IRCCS, Instituto Auxologico Italiano, Milan, Italy

^eSociété Française d'Hypertension Artérielle, Filiale de la Société Française de Cardiolgie, Paris, France

^fThe Department of Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Tohoku University Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Science and Medicine, Sendai, Japan

^gCentre for Epidemiological Studies and Clinical Trials, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China

^hUniversity Clinic Bonn, Department of Internal Medicine, Bonn, Germany

ⁱGuy's and St Thomas' Hospitals, London, UK

Correspondence to Professor Eoin O'Brien, Blood Pressure Unit, St. Michael's Hospital, Dún Laoghaire, Co. Dublin, Ireland

Tel: +353 1 2803865; fax: +353 1 2803688; e-mail: [email protected]

Received 23 July 2009 Revised 18 August 2009 Accepted 18 August 2009