Please select the eligibility criteria that correspond to the clinical trial below.
Title: Atrial Substrate Modification With Aggressive Blood Pressure Lowering to Prevent AF
Brief Summary: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a very common arrhythmia causing many symptoms resulting in numerous hospitalizations. Catheter ablation is a technique that has evolved significantly to improve symptomatic recurrences, but does not offer a 100% cure rate. We hypothesize that the use of aggressive BP lowering will reduce the rate of recurrent AF after catheter ablation for AF. We plan a randomized clinical trial of aggressive BP lowering versus standard BP control to investigate this.


Options:
A: INCLUSION:

Small subcortical ischemic stroke or subcortical TIA.

Inclusion criteria are based on TOAST criteria supplemented by required MRI data. All of the following criteria must be met:

* One of the lacunar stroke clinical syndromes (adapted from Fisher) lasting \> 24 hrs within the past 6 months
* Absence of signs or symptoms of cortical dysfunction such as aphasia, apraxia, agnosia, agraphia, homonymous visual field defect, etc.
* No ipsilateral cervical carotid stenosis (≥50%) by a reliable imaging modality done in an approved laboratory since the qualifying small subcortical stroke (S3), if hemispheric.
* No major-risk cardioembolic sources requiring anticoagulation or other specific therapy. Minor-risk cardioembolic sources will be permitted if anticoagulation is not prescribed by the patient's primary care physician.
* Subcortical TIA with corresponding lesion on DWI.
* MRI evidence of S3: a. Presence of an S3 (1.5 and 2 cm in diameter corresponding to the qualifying event on DWI; when TIA, ADC image must confirm lesion or T2/FLAIR (hyperintense lesions) (required for all brainstem events) OR multiple S3s on FLAIR/TI(\<1.5 cm in diameter) (hypointense lesions) b. Absence of cortical stroke and large subcortical stroke (recent or remote).

EXCLUSION:

To be eligible for entry into the study, the patient must not meet any of the criteria listed below:

* Disabling stroke (Modified Rankin Scale less than or equal to 4)
* Previous intracranial hemorrhage (excluding traumatic) or hemorrhagic stroke
* Age under 30 years
* High risk of bleeding (e.g. recurrent GI or GU bleeding, active peptic ulcer disease, etc)
* Anticipated requirement for long-term use of anticoagulants (e.g. recurrent DVT) or other antiplatelets
* Prior cortical stroke (diagnosed either clinically or by neuroimaging), or prior cortical or retinal TIA
* Prior ipsilateral carotid endarterectomy
* Impaired renal function: GFR \<40
* Intolerance or contraindications to aspirin or clopidogrel (including thrombocytopenia, prolonged INR)
* A score \< 24 (adjusted for age and education) on the Folstein Mini Mental Status Examination
* Medical contraindication to MRI
* Pregnancy or women of child-bearing potential who are not following an effective method of contraception
* Geographic or social factors making study participation impractical
* Unable or unwilling to provide informed consent
* Unlikely to be compliant with therapy/unwilling to return for frequent clinic visits
* Patients concurrently participating in another study with an investigational drug or device
* Other likely specific cause of stroke (e.g. dissection, vasculitis, prothrombotic diathesis, drug abuse)
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:

* Systolic Blood Pressure (SBP) between 130 and 180 mm Hg:

  * 130 to 150 mm Hg (if on 0-4 medications)
  * 130 to 160 mm Hg (if on 0-3 medications)
  * 130 to 170 mm Hg (if on 0-2 medications)
  * 130 to 180 mm Hg (if on 0-1 medications)
* Type 2 diabetes
* To be considered as having a high cardiovascular risk, including AT LEAST ONE of the following factors:

  1. Established cardiovascular disease (CVD), including:

     * Coronary artery disease: previous myocardial infarction, previous acute coronary syndrome, previous percutaneous coronary intervention, previous coronary artery bypass graft surgery, or at least 50% stenosis in a main coronary artery associated with typical angina pectoris; or
     * Cerebrovascular disease: previous stroke (except those events caused by intracranial aneurysm or arteriovenous malformation) or previous transient ischemic attack (TIA), stable for at least 2 weeks preceding inclusion in the study; or
     * Carotid artery disease: previous carotid endarterectomy, previous percutaneous intervention with carotid stent implantation, or stenosis of at least 50% in a carotid shown by the Doppler ultrasonography, CT angiography or MR angiography; or
     * Peripheral artery disease: prior surgical or percutaneous revascularization of a peripheral artery, limb amputation due to vascular cause, abdominal aortic aneurysm ≥ 5 cm (with or without prior surgical or percutaneous repair), or stenosis of at least 50% in a peripheral artery associated to intermittent claudication.
  2. Subclinical CVD, including:

     * Coronary calcium score ≥ 300 Agatston units; or
     * Ankle-brachial index ≤ 0.90 in the last two years; or
     * Left ventricular hypertrophy on the electrocardiogram, echocardiogram or other cardiac imaging exam in the last two years.
  3. Chronic kidney disease (CKD):

     ▪ Definition of CKD: glomerular filtration rate (GFR) between 20 and 59 ml/min/1.73m2 calculated by the Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration (CKD-EPI).
  4. Additional cardiovascular risk factors, including:

     * Active smoking: Defined as regular use of cigarettes or other tobacco products, such as cigars and pipe, in the last six months;
     * Dyslipidemia: Defined as LDL cholesterol \> 70 mg/dL or non-HDL cholesterol \> 100 mg/dL in patients with previous CVD; or LDL cholesterol \> 100 mg/dL or non-HDL cholesterol \> 130 mg/dL in patients without previous CVD; or Triglycerides \> 200 mg/dL or HDL \< 40 mg/dL regardless of treatment; or use of statins or other lipid lowering medication; or
     * Age ≥ 75 years

Exclusion Criteria:

* Refusal to provide written informed consent
* Body mass index \> 45 kg/m2
* Known secondary cause of hypertension
* Severe renal dysfunction with GFR \< 20 mL/min/1.73m2 calculated by the CKD-EPI equation
* Angina at rest Class IV Canadian Cardiovascular Society (CCS)
* Acute coronary syndrome in the last six months
* Symptomatic heart failure Class IV New York Heart Association (NYHA) or ejection fraction \< 35% on Doppler echocardiography in the last six months
* Factors that at the research team´s judgment may limit adherence to the intervention and study protocol, including, but not limited to, the following examples:

  * Recent history of alcohol and illicit drug abuse
  * Psychiatric comorbidities (severe depression, schizophrenia, psychosis, etc.)
  * History of poor medication adherence and attendance to consultations
  * Any plans to move the city of residence in the next four years
  * Any plans to leave the city of residence for more than three months in the next few years
  * Living in the same residence of another patient previously included in this study
* Patients currently enrolled in another study for CVD prevention, including those evaluating pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions
* Pregnancy or breastfeeding
D: Inclusion Criteria:

* Documented systolic blood pressure greater than or equal to 130 mmHg
* Undergoing planned catheter ablation for persistent AF (lasting \> 7 days and \< 365 days or requiring electrical or chemical cardioversion) OR High burden paroxysmal AF \> 6 months (greater than or equal to 3 symptomatic episdes in past 6 months and refractory or inteolerant to at least 1 class 1 or 3 antiarrhythmic)

Exclusion Criteria:

* Permanent atrial fibrillation
* Contraindication to Accupril or any other ACE-I
* Women of child-bearing potential
* Life expectancy less than 1 year
* Less than 18 years of age
* Unable to give informed consent
* Known moderate to several renal dysfunction (eGFR \< 30 ml/min/1.73m2)
* Prior AF catheter ablation

Answer: D