[Quality of diabetes education and shared care between family practice and the diabetes clinic].

Aim: To evaluate the quality of diabetes group-based education followed by shared care. The diabetes education program includes screening for diabetic complications and a scheme for follow-up is planned. Patients with microvascular complications visit the diabetes clinic four times a year.

Abnormally increased endothelin-1 in plasma during the night in obstructive sleep apnea: relation to blood pressure and severity of disease.

Background: The mechanisms involved in development and maintenance of hypertension in obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) are not clarified. We hypothesize that patients with OSA have an abnormal nocturnal level of some vasoactive hormones during the night.

Methods: We studied 32 patients with OSA and 19 healthy control subjects during The night-time with serial determinations of endothelin-1 (ENDO-1), angiotensin II (Ang II), renin (PRC), aldosterone (ALDO) in plasma, and blood pressure (BP), and oxygen saturation.