Please select the eligibility criteria that correspond to the clinical trial below.
Title: A Multicenter, Randomized, Double-Blind, Parallel Arm, 6-Week Study to Evaluate the Efficacy and Safety of Ezetimibe/Simvastatin Versus Atorvastatin in Patients With Metabolic Syndrome and Hypercholesterolemia at High Risk for Coronary Heart Disease
Brief Summary: A 6-week clinical trial in patients with metabolic syndrome and hypercholesterolemia at high risk for coronary heart disease to study the effects of ezetimibe/simvastatin and atorvastatin on lipids.


Options:
A: Inclusion Criteria:

1. A diagnosis of dyslipidemia (non-HDL-C \>130 mg/dL and Triglycerides \> or equal to 150 mg/dL and \< or equal to 500 mg/dL).
2. Subject may be currently on a statin or other lipid-lowering therapy but must be willing and able to washout for 8 weeks if on a fibrate or high-dose niacin, 6 weeks if on a statin or low-dose niacin per day, or 4 weeks if on a bile acid sequestrant, ezetimibe, or \>1000 mg of fish oil per day.
3. Other inclusion criteria might apply

Exclusion Criteria:

1. TGs \> 500 mg/dL.
2. History of coronary heart disease (CHD), transient ischemic attacks, stroke or revascularization procedure in the six months prior.
3. Presence of an aortic aneurysm or resection of an aortic aneurysm within six months.
4. Poorly controlled diabetes mellitus (glycosylated hemoglobin \>8.0% )or diabetes mellitus requiring insulin therapy.
5. Known lipoprotein lipase impairment or deficiency or Apo C-II deficiency or familial dysbetalipoproteinemia.
6. History of pancreatitis.
7. Known allergy or sensitivity to statins or fibrates.
8. Poorly controlled hypertension.
9. Other exclusion criteria might apply.
B: Inclusion Criteria:

* the patients aged 20 to 79 years with primary hypercholesterolemia that was not sufficiently responsive to therapeutic lifestyle changes and had LDL-C level over 100 mg/dL in high risk group.
* Inclusion criteria was in accordance with drug treatment guidelines; coronary artery disease or equivalent group with LDL-C ≥100 mg/dl; patients with two or more risk factors and LDL-C≥130 mg/dl; patients with 0 or 1 risk factor and LDL-C \>160 mg/dl after therapeutic lifestyle changes

Exclusion Criteria:

* therapy with any other investigational drug within 30 days of randomization,
* history of hypersensitivity to HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors,
* uncontrolled hypertension,
* poorly controlled diabetes (glycosylated hemoglobin \[HbA1c\] \>9%),
* unstable angina or presented with new-onset myocardial infarction (within 6 months),
* creatinine \>2.5 mg/dl,
* alanine aminotransferase (ALT) \>2 x upper limit of normal (ULN), aspartate aminotransferase(AST) \>2 x ULN, or creatine kinase (CK) \>2 x ULN,
* history of malignancy or psychosis;
* chronic liver disease,
* drug or alcohol abuse, pregnancy, breastfeeding, failure to practice adequate contraception, cyclical hormonal contraceptives or intermittent use of hormone replacement therapies.
C: Inclusion Criteria:

• Diagnosed with Low High Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol (HDL-C) or hypercholesterolemia, after diet lead-in/washout of lipid therapies

Exclusion Criteria:

* History of coronary heart disease, or hardening of the arteries, or heart does not pump sufficiently well
* Hypertension or high blood pressure that is not under control or your study physician does not consider the electrical activity of heart (Electrocardiogram \[ECG\]) to be compatible with participation in the study
* History of a bad skin rash, a prior rash due to a drug or a history of chronic skin disorder (such as psoriasis or eczema)
* Intolerance to certain lipid modifying drugs (including statins and Cholesteryl Ester Transfer Protein (CETP) inhibitors)
* Not willing to stop taking prescription or over the counter drugs you use to control fats in your blood (like fish oil, niacin or statin) or pills to decrease your weight, including herbs
* Not willing to follow the diet (low-fat) that the study physician will recommend
* Have disease of liver, kidneys, muscles or other organs of body, a serious infection or cancer, or abnormal laboratory tests that study physician does not consider compatible with participation in the study
* Breastfeeding woman or a woman who can still become pregnant, but are not willing to use a valid birth control measure to prevent pregnancies
D: Inclusion Criteria:

* Patients 18 to 79 years of age with metabolic syndrome and hypercholesterolemia at high risk for coronary heart disease (CHD) with LDL-C above 70 mg/dL or 100 mg/dL depending on their CHD risk category

Exclusion Criteria:

* A condition which, in the opinion of the investigator, pose a risk to the patient or interfere with participating in the study
* Patient is likely to be greater than 20% noncompliant in taking study medications
* Patients with chronic medical conditions
* Patients with unstable doses of medications
* Pregnant or lactating women, women intending to become pregnant
* Patient is currently receiving prescription therapy with statins or other lipid-altering medications
* Patient with Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes mellitus that is poorly controlled, newly diagnosed, or is taking new or recently adjusted antidiabetic pharmacotherapy (with the exception of +/- 10 units of insulin)

Answer: D