Hypertension is a common condition leading to increased risk of excess mortality and morbidity from cardiovascular events (AMI and stroke). Furthermore, it is known that blood pressure reduction of 2-5 mmHg has an impact on the patients risk for cardiovascular events and mortality. In a double blinded RCT irbesartan 300 mg reduced systolic blood pressure by 16.4 mmHg while losartan 100 mg reduced blood pressure by 11.3 mmHg. P value was significant (p<0,05). OBJECTIVES: To assess the cost-effectiveness of long-term treatment of hypertension with irbesartan vs. losartan in a Danish setting. METHODS: A Markov model was developed using the SCORE risk function to predict cardiovascular events depending on blood pressure level and other risk factors. The effect of irbesartan and losartan was taken from a RCT study with direct comparison (the Kassler-Taub study). In this study, irbesartan was also compared to no treatment. In the model, lifelong treatment was evaluated with either early intervention, when hypertension occurs (age 55), or late intervention after the occurrence of the first cardiovascular event. Health outcomes were number of cardiovascular events, life years and QALYs gained. Danish costs and epidemiological data were applied. RESULTS: Irbesartan was shown to be cost-saving vs. losartan (- 5.950 EUR/ LYG). Compared to placebo, early intervention was shown to be more cost-effective relative to late intervention. CONCLUSION: Long-term treatment of hypertension with irbesartan can be cost-saving compared to treatment with losartan.