The present study examine healthy, normotensive subjects 18 to 36 years of age whose both
parents have essential hypertension. The subjects receive treatment with either the
AT1-antagonist candesartan cilexetil, 16 mg daily or placebo for one year. Then, treatment is
withdrawn and the subjects is followed for 10 years to determine if the treatment has been
able to either prevent or delay the development of hypertension. The primary objective is to
determine whether pharmacological treatment with an angiotensin receptor blocker is able to
restrain or delay the progression to hypertension. Secondary objectives are to investigate
whether any long-term effect on blood pressure is related to the effect of treatment on renal
haemodynamic function, or on the left ventricle mass.