Kensington Medical Centre Belfast - Your Diabetes Information Hub

Welcome to the Kensington Medical Centre Belfast Diabetes Information Hub. This page is designed to provide you with essential information and resources to help manage your diabetes and understand pre-diabetes, supporting your long-term health and well-being. Effective management and prevention are crucial steps towards improving your health outcomes.

Understanding Diabetes and Its Prevention

Diabetes can lead to various complications affecting crucial organs such as the heart, kidneys, eyes, and feet. Therefore, preventing diabetes or managing it effectively is key to improving your health in the long term.

• Are you at risk of pre-diabetes? You can assess your risk using the pre-diabetes risk score tool.
• Preventing Type 2 Diabetes: General information on how Type 2 diabetes can be prevented is available.
• Diabetes Prevention Programme: Kensington Medical Centre offers a local, free programme designed to educate patients on what pre-diabetes is and how to prevent the development of diabetes. If you have been identified as pre-diabetic and advised to attend, a referral will have been made for you.
• Further Information on Pre-diabetes: For additional details, you can visit the Diabetes UK website and watch a helpful YouTube video on pre-diabetes, which you may have been signposted to by our team.

Healthy Eating and Lifestyle for Diabetes Management

Making informed food choices and managing your portion sizes are fundamental aspects of living well with diabetes.

• Healthy Eating: You can find comprehensive guidance on healthy eating when living with diabetes to help manage your condition.
• Portion Sizes: Understanding and applying appropriate portion sizes is vital for managing your blood sugar levels effectively.
• Lowering Cholesterol: Information is available on how to lower your cholesterol, which is an important consideration for your cardiovascular health when you have diabetes.
• Managing High Blood Pressure: Resources are also provided on managing high blood pressure (hypertension), which can be an associated health concern for individuals with diabetes.

Managing Your Diabetes: Medications

If you have been prescribed medication to manage your diabetes, it's important to understand how it works and what precautions you should take.

• Empagliflozin: Information regarding this medication, including its function, is available through NHS resources.
• Dapagliflozin:
  • This medication is used to help manage your diabetes.
  • It is important to understand how to take the medication, how it works, the necessity for adequate fluid intake, and potential side effects.
  • You may have been signposted to useful YouTube videos that offer further guidance on Dapagliflozin.
• GLP-1 Agonists and Contraception: If you are taking GLP-1 agonists, there is specific information regarding their interaction with contraception that you should be aware of.

Sick Day Rules: What to Do When You Are Unwell

When you are unwell, especially with infections like the flu, a chest infection, or a stomach upset, it is crucial to follow specific "sick day rules" to manage your diabetes safely and prevent serious complications.

• General Sick Day Rules: Comprehensive guidance is available on what steps to take when you are ill. This includesspecific advice tailored for individuals with Type 2 diabetes when they are unwell.
• Diabetic Ketoacidosis (DKA) Risk:
  • Diabetic Ketoacidosis (DKA) is a serious complication that can occur.
  • If you are taking certain medications, particularly SGLT2 inhibitors (such as Dapagliflozin or Empagliflozin), there is an increased risk of DKA. It is vital to know the signs and what action to take if you suspect DKA.
  • You will have received advice on DKA risk when you started your medication.

Driving and Diabetes

To ensure the safety of all road users, specific rules apply to individuals with diabetes who hold a driving licence.

• Driving Licence Information: It is essential to be aware of what information you need to disclose to your driving licensing authority when you have diabetes.
• Information for Drivers on Non-Insulin Treatment: Specific guidelines are available for drivers with diabetes who are not currently treated with insulin.

Useful Resources

Kensington Medical Centre YouTube Channel: Diabetes Playlist

Below are links to external websites for further information and support related to diabetes:

• Diabetes UK:
  • Guide to Diabetes
  • Healthy Eating &Portion Sizes
  • Living with Diabetes
  • Preventing Type 2 Diabetes
  • Prediabetes Risk Score
  • Driving with Diabetes
• NHS Resources:
  • Metformin
  • Empagliflozin
  • Dapagliflozin
  • Diabetic Ketoacidosis (DKA)
  • Lowering High Cholesterol
  • High Blood Pressure (Hypertension)
• Other Patient Information:
  • Sick Day Rules Patient Leaflet for Type 2 Diabetes
  • Sick Day Rules Patient Leaflet for Type 1 Diabetes
  • Information for Drivers with diabetes
  • TREND Diabetes DKA Information (for SGLT2i users)
  • Know Diabetes - Type 2 Illness Advice