Cigarette smoking represents an important factor associated with progression of nephropathy in treated hypertensive type I diabetic patients.

In diabetic patients an extensive behaviour therapy intervention for smoking cessation is no more successful than an unstructured physician's advice.

A time-limited, structured, problem-orientated psychotherapeutic intervention decreases the severity of psychological problems and improves metabolic control in Type 1 diabetic patients with microvascular complications and self-management of intensified insulin therapy.

The introduction of a structured hypertension treatment and teaching programme in general practice may lead to significant improvements of hypertension care.