Please select the eligibility criteria that correspond to the clinical trial below.
Title: A Twenty Six-week, Dose Titration Study to Evaluate the Efficacy and Safety of Aliskiren Compared to HCTZ With the Optional Addition of Amlodipine, Followed by a Second Twenty Six Weeks of Blinded Treatment, in Patients With Essential Hypertension
Brief Summary: This study is designed to compare the long-term efficacy and safety of an aliskiren based regimen to an HCTZ based treatment regimen with optional addition of amlodipine in patients with essential hypertension


Options:
A: Inclusion Criteria:

* clinical diagnosis of diabetic nephropathy in patients with type 2 diabetes
* albumin-to-creatinine ratio \>= 300 mg/g creatinine in first morning urinalysis
* serum creatinine between 1.0 and 2.5 mg/dL in women and between 1.2 and 2.5 mg/dL in men

Exclusion Criteria:

* type 1 diabetes
* non-diabetic nephropathy
* history of myocardial infarction
* history of cardiac bypass grafting within 3 months
* history of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) within 6 months
* history of carotid artery or peripheral artery revascularization within 6 months
* stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA) within 1 year
* unstable angina pectoris
* heart failure of NYHA functional classes III or IV
* rapid progression of kidney disease within 3 months
* severe orthostatic hypotension
* serum potassium level =\<3.5 mEq(mmol)/L or =\>5.5 mEq(mmol)L
* history of rapid elevation of the serum creatinine level after starting treatment with AII receptor antagonists or ACE inhibitors
* poor glycemic control: HbA1c level =\>11%
* history of myocardial infarction (MI) or coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) within 3 months
B: Inclusion Criteria:

* Patients with essential hypertension

Exclusion Criteria:

* Severe hypertension
* History or evidence of a secondary form of hypertension
* History of myocardial infarction.
* Other protocol-defined inclusion exclusion criteria also apply.
C: 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.
D: Inclusion Criteria:

* Adults
* Impaired glucose tolerance
* Age dependent risk factors

Exclusion Criteria:

* Frank diabetes

For detailed information, call contact person.

Answer: B