Please select the eligibility criteria that correspond to the clinical trial below.
Title: Stop Atherosclerosis in Native Diabetics Study
Brief Summary: Compared to standard treatment goals achieving lower targets for LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol) and blood pressure in people with diabetes will slow the progression of atherosclerosis as measured by carotid artery thickness, and reduce clinical cardiovascular events such as heart attacks and strokes. This study is a randomized 3-year trial. The primary endpoint will be a combination of various measures of the carotid artery, (which is an easy, non-invasive way to detect cardiovascular disease) and events such as heart attacks and strokes. The study will also look at secondary endpoints such as how well the heart pumps, fat,protein and inflammatory markers in the blood,and kidney function. The study enrolled 549 American Indian men and women with diabetes, \> 40 years of age and is being conducted in four field centers involving Indian Health Service/Tribal primary care facilities in Phoenix/Sacaton, Arizona; Chinle, Arizona; Rapid City/Pine Ridge, South Dakota; and Lawton, Oklahoma, with input from American Indian physicians and community members.


Options:
A: Inclusion Criteria:

1. American Indian men and women 40 years of age or older
2. Type 2 DM (according to 1997 ADA criteria and/or previously diagnosed by former ADA or WHO criteria): fasting plasma glucose \>= 7.0 mmol/L (126 mg/dL) or 2-hour glucose \>= 11.0 mmol/L (\>200 mg/dL) after a 75-gram oral glucose tolerance test.
3. LDL cholesterol \>= 100 mg/dL. within the previous 12 months.
4. Systolic BP \>= 130 mm Hg. within the previous 12 months.

Exclusion Criteria:

1. New York Heart Association Stage III- IV congestive heart failure.
2. SBP \>180 mmHg (2% of population) or patients with known causes of hypertension.
3. History of angioedema.
4. Any medical condition that study physicians believe would interfere with study participation or evaluation of results.
5. Mental incapacity and/or cognitive impairment on the part of the patient that would preclude adequate understanding of, or cooperation with, the study protocol.
6. Serum hepatic transaminase levels 2X the upper limit of normal.
7. Participation in any clinical trial of any investigational medication within 3 months prior to this trial.
8. Renal insufficiency as indicated by serum creatinine \>2.0 for women and \>2.4 for men.
9. Diagnosis of primary hyperlipidemia in medical record.
10. Secondary hypercholesterolemia due to hypothyroidism or nephrotic syndrome. Patients on stable doses of thyroid replacement therapy will be eligible.
11. Presence of malignancy or history of any cancer except skin cancer within the past 5 years.
12. Pregnancy or lactation. Premenopausal women will be requested to use birth control methods throughout the study and provided educational materials about the risks of using the study medications during pregnancy.
13. Unable to obtain quantifiable carotid measure during screening examination.
14. Concomitant long term use of cyclosporins (Sandimmune), macrolide antibiotics (erythromycin -many generic and brand name forms, clarithromycin, Biaxin, and Zithromax), azole antifungals (itraconazole-Sporanox, ritonavir, Norvir, and nelfinavir (Viracept).
15. Orthostatic hypotension as defined by the following:

    1. The individual has a measured fall of \>20 mmHg in systolic BP upon standing associated with symptoms lasting more than one minute (or severe symptoms that would not allow further lowering of BP)
    2. The standing systolic blood pressure is less than 90 mm.
16. Triglyceride level \>350 mg/dl.
17. Severe aortic stenosis with valve area \<=1.0 square cm.
B: Inclusion Criteria:

Coronary Artery Disease: Previous Myocardial infarction(\> 2 days prior to informed consent), or stable or previous unstable angina (\> 30 days prior to informed consent) with documented multivessel coronary artery disease or a positive stress test, or multivessel Percutaneous Transluminal Coronary Angioplasty (\> 30 days prior to informed consent), or previous multivessel Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting without angina (if surgery performed \> 4 years prior to informed consent) or with recurrent angina after surgery.

Other High Risk:

1. Peripheral Arterial Disease: Previous limb bypass surgery or angioplasty or amputation, intermittent claudication on history with ankle/arm Blood Pressure ratio \< 0.8 on at least one side, or significant stenosis by angiography or non-invasive testing
2. Previous stroke
3. Transient ischemic Attack \> 7 days and \< 1 year prior to informed consent
4. Diabetes Mellitus (types I or II): with evidence of end-organ damage (retinopathy, Left ventricular hypertrophy, micro or macro albuminuria), or any evidence of previous cardiac or vascular disease.

No definite and specific indication or contraindication for any of the study treatments. Written informed consent.

Exclusion Criteria:

A. Medication use:

1. Inability to discontinue Angiotension Converting Enzyme (ACE) inhibitors or Angiotension 2 receptor antagonists (AIIAs).
2. Patients with known hypersensitivity or intolerance to Angiotension 2 receptor antagonists (AIIAs) or Angiotension Converting Enzyme (ACE)inhibitors.

NOTE: Patients with known intolerance to Angiotension Converting Enzyme inhibitor intolerance ( ACE-I) can be enrolled in the TRANSCEND study.

B. Cardiovascular disease:

1. Symptomatic congestive heart failure.
2. Hemodynamically significant primary valvular or outflow tract obstruction (e.g. aortic or mitral valve stenosis, asymmetric septal hypertrophy, malfunctioning prosthetic valve).
3. Constrictive pericarditis.
4. Complex congenital heart disease.
5. Syncopal episodes of unknown etiology \< 3 months before informed consent.
6. Planned cardiac surgery or angioplasty within three months.
7. Uncontrolled hypertension on treatment (i.e.Blood pressure ( BP) \> 160/100).
8. Heart transplant recipient.
9. Strokes due to subarachnoid hemorrhage

C. Other conditions:

1. Significant renal disease defined as:

   1. Renal artery stenosis;
   2. Creatinine clearance \< 0.6 ml/min or serum creatinine \> 265 umol/L (\> 3.0 mg/dL);
   3. Hyperkalemia: potassium \> 5.5 mmol/L.
   4. Proteinuria\* (for TRANSCEND only).
2. Hepatic dysfunction as defined by the following laboratory parameters: Serum Glutamate Pyruvate Transaminase( SGPT) Alaninaminotransferase (ALT) or Serum Glutamic Oxaloacetic Transaminase (SGOT) Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) \> than 4 times upper limit of normal or additional criteria for hepatic impairment the upper limit of normal range, total Bilirubin \> 20 umol/L, biliary obstructive disorders.
3. Uncorrected volume depletion or sodium depletion.
4. Primary aldosteronism.
5. Hereditary fructose intolerance.
6. Any other major non-cardiac illness expected to reduce life expectancy or interfere with study participation.
7. Patient is simultaneously taking another experimental drug.
8. Patient with significant disability that precludes regular attendance at clinic for follow-up.
9. Patient has sufficient disability or other incapacity that precludes regular attendance at clinic for follow-up.
10. Unable or unwilling to provide written informed consent.
C: Inclusion Criteria:

* Diagnosed with type 2 diabetes mellitus, as determined by the new American Diabetes Association guidelines, which include a fasting plasma glucose level greater than 126 mg/dl (7.0 mmol/l), or a 2-hour postload value in the oral glucose tolerance test of greater than 200 mg/dl, with confirmation by a retest
* For participants aged 40 years or older, history of CVD (heart attack, stroke, history of coronary revascularization, history of peripheral or carotid revascularization, or demonstrated angina)
* For participants aged 55 years or older, a history of CVD is not required, but participant must be considered to be at high risk for experiencing a CVD event due to existing CVD, subclinical disease, or 2+ CVD risk factors
* HbA1c 7.5%-9% (if on more drugs) or 7.5%-11% (if on fewer drugs)
D: Inclusion Criteria:

* Male or female
* Age 50 to no upper limit
* Hypertension documented according to the 6th report of the Joint National Committee on Detection and Evaluation of the treatment of high BP (JNC VI) and the need for drug therapy (previously documented hypertension in patients currently taking antihypertensive agents is acceptable)
* Documented CAD (e.g., classic angina pectoris (stable angina pectoris; Heberden angina pectoris), myocardial infarction three or more months ago, abnormal coronary angiography, or concordant abnormalities on two different types of stress tests)
* Willingness to sign informed consent

Exclusion Criteria:

* Unstable angina, angioplasty, coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG) or stroke within one month. Patients taking beta blockers after myocardial infarction are excluded if study enrollment is planned within 12 months of myocardial infarction. No time limitation if not taking beta-blocker.
* Use of a ß-blocker within past two weeks
* Patients without a pacemaker and any of the following:

  * Sinus bradycardia (\< 50 beats/min.)
  * Sick sinus syndrome
  * Atrioventricular (AV)-block of more than 1st degree
* Documented contraindication to verapamil; documented contraindication to both atenolol and hydrochlorothiazide
* Atrial fibrillation/flutter with Wolff-Parkinson-White (WPW)-Syndrome
* Severe heart failure (New York Heart Association \[NYHA\] IV).
* Concomitant illnesses (e.g., severe renal failure \[Serum creatinine ≥4.0 mg/dl\], severe hepatic failure or known cirrhosis, etc.) which may affect outcome variables or where life expectancy is two years or less or which are likely to require frequent hospitalizations and/or treatment adjustments.
* Patients with psychiatric, cognitive, or social (e.g., alcoholism, etc.) conditions that would interfere with giving consent or cooperating or remaining available for follow-up for two years.

Answer: A