Please select the eligibility criteria that correspond to the clinical trial below.
Title: Treatment of Preserved Cardiac Function Heart Failure With an Aldosterone Antagonist (TOPCAT)
Brief Summary: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of aldosterone antagonist therapy in reducing cardiovascular mortality, aborted cardiac arrest, and heart failure hospitalization in patients who have heart failure with preserved systolic function.


Options:
A: Inclusion criteria:

Male or female subjects 55 year or older who have suffered an ischemic stroke within the past 90 days and who meet all other inclusion criteria. Include also patients of ages 50 - 54 years and/or 90 to 120 days after the qualifying stroke provided the patient has at least two of the following additional risk factors:

* Diabetes mellitus
* Hypertension (systolic BP ¿ 140 or diastolic BP ¿ 90)
* Smoker at time of qualifying stroke
* Obesity (BMI\>30; BMI=weight (kg)/\[height (m)\]2)
* Previous vascular disease (stroke, MI, or peripheral arterial disease prior to qualifying stroke)
* End-organ-damage (retinopathy, LVH, or microalbuminuria)
* Hyperlipidemia

Exclusion criteria:

hemorrhagic stroke (must be ruled out by imaging);unable to give informed consent; known brain tumor, severe renal or hepatic insufficiency, current active peptic ulcer disease, severe coronary artery disease including unstable angina pectoris or an MI within the previous 3 months,or history of a hemostatic disorder or systemic bleeding ;hyperkalemia;uncorrected volume or sodium depletion; pre-stroke history of dementia;modified Rankin score greater than 4;qualifying stroke induced by surgical or cardiovascular procedure;uncontrolled hypertension at entry above 180/110 mmHg (goal BPs are lower); SBP 120 mmHg or less for hospitalized patients; currently taking an ARB and not able or willing to switch to alternative; required or planned continuing treatment with antithrombotics or anticoagulants including heparin or warfarin or non-study platelet inhibitors; syndrome of asthma, rhinitis and nasal polyps;scheduled for major surgery, carotid endarterectomy, or carotid angioplasty (4 weeks post surgery is allowed);unlikely to be released from hospital following the qualifying stroke or presence of a severe disability likely to lead to being bedridden or demented or a non-vascular disease or condition which makes it unlikely that the patient will survive to the end of the trial; history of thrombocytopenia or neutropenia.
B: INCLUSION CRITERIA:

* Heart failure as defined by at least one of symptom (paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea; orthopnea; or dyspnea on mild or moderate exertion) at the time of screening and at least one sign (any rales post cough; jugular venous pressure(JVP) greater than or equal to 10cm of water(H2O); lower extremity edema; or chest x-ray demonstrating pleural effusion, pulmonary congestion, or cardiomegaly) within 12 months prior to study entry:
* left ventricular ejection fraction greater than or equal to 45% (per local reading); the ejection fraction must have been obtained within 6 months prior to randomization and after any MI or other event that would affect ejection fraction
* Controlled systolic blood pressure(BP), defined as a target systolic BP less than 140 mm Hg; participants with BP up to and including 160 mm Hg are eligible for enrollment if they are on three or more medications to control BP
* Serum potassium less than 5.0 mmol/L prior to randomization
* At least one hospital admission for which heart failure was a major component of the hospitalization some time within the 12 months prior to study entry OR brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) greater than or equal to 100pg/ml or N-terminal pro-BNP greater than or equal to 360pg/ml within the 60 days prior to study entry
* Women of child-bearing potential must have a negative serum/urine pregnancy test within 72 hours prior to randomization, must not be lactating, and must agree to use an effective method of contraception during the entire course of study participation
* Willing to comply with scheduled visits
* Informed consent form signed by the subject prior to participation in the trial

EXCLUSION CRITERIA:

* Severe systemic illness with an expected life expectancy of less than 3 years
* Chronic pulmonary disease requiring home O2, oral steroid therapy, or hospitalization for exacerbation within 12 months of study entry, or significant chronic pulmonary disease in the opinion of the investigator
* Known infiltrative or hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy or known pericardial constriction
* Primary hemodynamically significant uncorrected valvular heart disease, obstructive or regurgitant, or any valvular disease expected to lead to surgery during the trial
* Atrial fibrillation with a resting heart rate greater than 90 bpm
* MI in the past 90 days
* Coronary artery bypass graft surgery in the past 90 days
* Percutaneous coronary intervention in the past 30 days
* Heart transplant recipient
* Currently implanted left ventricular assist device
* Stroke in past 90 days
* Systolic BP (SBP) greater than 160 mm Hg
* Known orthostatic hypotension
* Gastrointestinal disorder that could interfere with study drug absorption
* Use of any aldosterone antagonist or potassium sparing medication in the last 14 days or any known condition that would require the use of an aldosterone antagonist during study participation;
* Known intolerance to aldosterone antagonists
* Current lithium use
* Current participation (including prior 30 days) in any other therapeutic trial
* Any condition that, in the opinion of the investigator, may prevent the participant from adhering to the trial protocol
* History of hyperkalemia (serum potassium greater than or equal to 5.5mmol/L) in the past 6 months or serum potassium greater than or equal to 5.0mmol/L within the past 2 weeks
* Severe renal dysfunction, defined as an estimated glomerular filtration rate(GFR) less than 30ml/min. Participants with serum creatinine greater than or equal to 2.5mg/dl are also excluded even if their GFR is greater than or equal to 30ml/min
* Known chronic hepatic disease, defined as aspartate aminotransferase(AST) and alanine aminotransferase(ALT) levels greater than 3.0 times the upper limit of normal as read at the local lab.
C: Inclusion Criteria:

* Diagnosis/History of high blood pressure
* Male or Female age 45 years or older

Exclusion Criteria:

* History of stroke, transient ischemic attack or heart attack within the last 6 months
* A hospital admission for congestive heart failure within the last year
* Use of certain high blood pressure medications such as ACE inhibitors, Angiotensin Receptor Blockers or aldosterone antagonists or other agents that may work in the same pathway (RAAS) as valsartan within the past 3 months.

Other protocol-defined exclusion criteria may apply.
D: Inclusion Criteria:

* presence of an ischaemic or non-ischaemic cardiomyopathic process
* no contraindication to contrast enhanced CMR
* GFR \>30

Exclusion Criteria:

* ESRF
* Contraindication to CM R

Answer: B