Please select the eligibility criteria that correspond to the clinical trial below.
Title: A 36 Week Randomized, Double-blind, Parallel Group, Multi-center, Active-controlled, Optional Titration Study Comparing an Aliskiren-based Regimen to a Ramipril-based Regimen in Patients ≥ 65 Years Old With Systolic Essential Hypertension
Brief Summary: Evaluate the systolic blood pressure lowering effect of aliskiren 150mg and 300mg compared to ramipril 5mg and 10mg in elderly patients with essential systolic hypertension.


Options:
A: Inclusion Criteria:

* You are 35 to 65 years of age
* In the past 14 days you have not been treated for hypertension
* In the past 14 days you have not taken more than 2 medications to treat high blood pressure
* You are a woman who is not able to have children or do not use birth control

Exclusion Criteria:

* You are taking more than 2 medications to treat high blood pressure
* You have a history of a stroke, transient ischemic attack (TIA), heart attack, congestive heart failure, coronary artery bypass surgery
* You have Type 1 or 2 diabetes mellitus
* You have an active liver disease, gallbladder disease, or bowel disease
* You are HIV positive
* You have certain types of cancer
* You abuse drug or alcohol
* You have participated in another clinical study in last 4 weeks
B: Inclusion Criteria:

* Male or female outpatients ≥ 65 years old.
* Patients with essential hypertension with an msSBP ≥ 140 mmHg and \< 180 mmHg, and msDBP \< 110 mmHg at Visits 2 and 3. (Visit 201 was deleted by the Administrative Changes document.)
* Patients must have had a difference in msSBP of ≤ 20 mmHg between Visit 3 and the visit immediately prior to Visit 3.
* Patients who were eligible and able to participate in the study, and who consented to do so after the purpose and nature of the investigation had been explained to them (written informed consent).

Exclusion Criteria:

* History of renal artery stenosis.
* Known Keith-Wagener grade III or IV hypertensive retinopathy.
* History of hypertensive encephalopathy.
* Current diagnosis of heart failure (New York Heart Association Class III-IV).
* History of transient ischemic cerebral attack or cerebrovascular accident within 6 months.
* History of myocardial infarction, bypass surgery, or any percutaneous coronary intervention within 6 months.
* Current unstable angina pectoris. Patients on a stable dose of oral or topical nitrates or beta blockers for angina were acceptable.
* Concurrent potentially life threatening arrhythmia or symptomatic arrhythmia.
* Clinically significant valvular heart disease.
* Concurrent use of any antihypersensitive medications except a stable dose 3 months prior to visit 1 of alpha adrenergic blockers for benign prostatic hypertrophy (e.g., Flomax for BPH), beta blockers for angina, or beta blockers ophthalmic preparations.
C: Inclusion Criteria:

* msSBP (mean of 3 systolic blood pressure measurements) must be ≥ 95th percentile for age, gender and height, at Visit 2 (randomization), in study CSPP100A2365
* Must be ≥ 20 kg and ≤ 150 kg at Visit 2 (randomization), in study CSPP100A2365
* Must be able to swallow minitablets (2mm in diameter) administered in soft food
* Successful completion of Phase 1 (dose response phase) and at least 1 week of Phase 2 (placebo withdrawal phase) of the CSPP100A2365 protocol, with no serious drug-related adverse event(s).

Exclusion Criteria:

* Patient receiving immunosuppressant medication (e.g. cyclosporine, MMF, etc) other than oral/topical steroids, for any medical condition
* Current diagnosis of heart failure (NYHA Class II-IV) or history of cardiomyopathy or obstructive valvular disease
* msSBP ≥ 25% above the 95th percentile
* Second or third degree heart block without a pacemaker
* AST/SGOT or ALT/SGPT \>3 times the upper limit of the reference range
* Total bilirubin \> 2 times the upper limit of the reference range
* Creatinine clearance \< 30 mL/min/1.73m² (calculated using Modified Schwartz formula to estimate glomerular filtration rate \[GFR\]), based on the serum creatinine concentration obtained at the screening visit)
* WBC count \< 3000/mm³
* Platelet count \< 100,000/mm³
* Serum potassium \> 5.2 mEq/L
* Other protocol-defined inclusion/exclusion criteria may apply
D: Inclusion Criteria:

* Patients must have msDBP ≥ 90 mmHg and \< 110 mmHg at the visit immediately prior to Visit 3
* Patients must have msDBP \>OR= 95 mmHg and \< 110 mmHg at Visit 3
* Patients must have an absolute difference of \< or =10 mmHg in their mean sitting diastolic blood pressure (msDBP) from Visit 2 to Visit 3

Exclusion Criteria:

* Severe hypertension (grade 3 WHO classification; msDBP \>or= 110 mmHg and/or msSBP \>or = 180 mmHg).
* History or evidence of a secondary form of hypertension.
* History of transient ischemic cerebral attack within 12 months of visit 1.
* Current angina pectoris requiring pharmacological therapy (other than those patients on a stable dose of oral or topical nitrates)
* Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes mellitus with glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) \> 8% at Visit 1.
* Known or suspected contraindications to the study medications, including history of allergy to ramipril or other ACE Inhibitors.

Other protocol-defined inclusion/exclusion criteria may apply.

Answer: B