Please select the eligibility criteria that correspond to the clinical trial below.
Title: Monotherapy Versus Dual Therapy for Initial Treatment for Hypertension
Brief Summary: To test whether the current custom of initiating treatment for hypertension with a single drug is less effective in the short-term than initial combination therapy, and results in the eventual need for comparatively more antihypertensive drug therapy.


Options:
A: Inclusion Criteria:

* patients older than 40 years of age with stage I hypertension

Exclusion Criteria:

* low life expectancy
* other indications for the use of diuretics, such as cardiovascular disease
* intolerance to the study drugs
* pregnancy
B: Inclusion Criteria:

* Age ≥ 40 years
* History of diabetes mellitus type 2 for at least three months with stable antidiabetic treatment
* Systolic and/or diastolic blood pressure ≥ 135 or 85 mmHg, respectively. In alternative, antihypertensive therapy regardless of blood pressure values
* Serum creatinine ≤ 1.5 mg/dL
* Urinary albumin excretion rate \< 200 µg/min
* Written informed consent for the trial participation.

Exclusion Criteria:

* Clinical or histological evidence of non-diabetic renal disease, including vascular disease of the kidney, obstructive uropathy, prostatic hypertrophy or incomplete bladder emptying
* Transplanted kidney
* Moderate to severe chronic heart failure (III-IV stage according to the NYHA classification).
* Cerebral hemorrhage, stroke or transient ischemic attack within three months prior to the trial enrolment
* Myocardial infarction within three months prior to the trial enrolment
* Unstable angina pectoris
* Mitral valve stenosis, aortic stenosis or hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
* Secondary (e.g., Cushing disease, phaeochromocytoma, etc.) or severe refractory hypertension
* Poor glycemic control (HbA1c\>11%)
* Connective tissue or autoimmune disease
* Hereditary angioneurotic edema
* Clinically relevant electrolyte imbalance (e.g., serum potassium \> 5.5 mmol/L)
* Clinically relevant hematological disorders
* Anemia with hemoglobin concentrations \< 10 g/dL
* Serious hepatic disease
* Pregnancy or lactating or planning a pregnancy
* Women of childbearing potential without following a scientifically accepted form of contraception
* Any other serious or terminal concomitant disease
* Any condition which may interfere with the absorption of the study treatments
* Any concomitant treatment with ACE inhibitors, angiotensin II blockers, calcium channel blockers, potassium sparing diuretics
* Chronic treatment with nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs, antidepressants and neuroleptics, lithium, cimetidine, immunosuppressive and/or antineoplastic drugs, chronic systemic glucocorticoid therapy more than 7 consecutive days in one month, antiarrhythmic drugs (e.g., chinidin, procainamide), anesthetics/narcotics
* History of hypersensitivity to delapril or other ACE inhibitors, manidipine or other dihydropyridine CCBs
* Legal incapacity and/or other circumstances rendering the patient unable to understand the nature, scope and possible consequences of the trial
* Evidence of an uncooperative attitude
* Any evidence that allows predicting that the patient will not be able to complete the trial follow-up.
C: Inclusion Criteria:

* Type 2 Diabetes
* Hypertension

Exclusion Criteria:

* Albuminuria (Phase A)
* Non-diabetic renal disease
* Subject has a hypersensitivity to ACE inhibitor, CCB
D: Patients must meet ALL inclusion criteria

1. Aged 18-79
2. Male subjects or female subjects taking adequate contraception such as the oral contraceptive pill, an intra uterine device or who are surgically sterilised or postmenopausal Females
3. BP ≥150 mmHg (systolic) OR ≥ 95 mmHg (diastolic). Patients may be included if the PI anticipates BP criteria for inclusion will be met at randomisation
4. Either never-treated or received a maximum of one antihypertensive drug class in the previous year

Patients will be excluded for ANY ONE of the following reasons

1. Clinic SBP \> 200 mmHg or DBP \> 120 mmHg, with PI discretion to override if home BP measurements are lower
2. Secondary or accelerated phase hypertension
3. eGFR \< 45 mls/min
4. Contra-indication or previous intolerance to any trial therapy
5. Failure to record required home BP readings during placebo run-in.
6. Significant co-morbidity (investigator opinion but to include alcoholism, terminal illness, documented non-attendance at clinics etc)
7. Diabetes type 1
8. Plasma K+ outside normal range on two successive measurements during screening
9. Requirement for treatment with ≥2 drugs (which can be a CCB and/or {ACEi OR ARB OR direct renin inhibitor OR β-blocker}) in order to reduce blood pressure to ≤180/120 mmHg
10. Requirement for diuretic therapy (other than for hypertension)
11. Requirement for ACE inhibitor (or ARB) therapy (other than for hypertension)
12. Absolute contra-indications to any of the study drugs (listed on their data-sheet)
13. Current therapy for cancer
14. Anticipation of change in medical status during course of trial (e.g. planned surgical intervention requiring \>2 weeks convalescence , actual or planned pregnancy)
15. Inability to give informed consent
16. Participation in a clinical study involving an investigational drug or device within 4 weeks of screening.
17. Any concomitant condition that, in the opinion of the investigator, may adversely affect the safety and/or efficacy of the study drug or severely limit the subject's lifespan or ability to complete the study (eg, alcohol or drug abuse, disabling or terminal illness, mental disorders).
18. Treatment with any of the following prohibited medications:

    1. Oral corticosteroids within 3 months of screening. Treatment with systemic corticosteroids is also prohibited during study participation.

       Chronic stable or unstable use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) other than acetylsalicylic acid is prohibited. Chronic use is defined as \>3 consecutive or nonconsecutive days of treatment per week. In addition, the intermittent use of NSAIDs is strongly discouraged throughout the duration of this study. If intermittent treatment is required, NSAIDs must not be used for more than a total of 2 days. For all subjects requiring analgesic or anti-pyretic agents, the use of paracetamol is recommended during study participation.
    2. The use of short-acting oral nitrates (eg, sublingual nitroglycerin) is permitted; however, subjects should not take short-acting oral nitrates within 4 hours of screening or any subsequent study visit.
    3. The use of long-acting oral nitrates (eg, Isordil) is permitted; however, the dose must be stable for at least 2 weeks prior to screening and randomisation.
    4. The use of sympathomimetic decongestants is permitted; however, not within 1 day prior to any clinic visit/BP assessment.
    5. The use of theophylline is permitted; however, the dose must be stable for at least 4 weeks prior to screening and throughout study participation.
    6. The use of phosphodiesterase (PDE) type V inhibitors is permitted; however, subjects must refrain from taking these medications within 1 day of screening or any subsequent study visit.
    7. The use of alpha-blockers is not permitted - with the exception of afluzosin and tamsulosin for prostatic symptoms

Answer: D