Diabetic Ketoacidosis (DKA)

Diabetic Ketoacidosis (DKA)

Description Symptoms Causes Diagnostics Treatment

Description

Diabetic ketoacidosis is a life-threatening condition that affects people with diabetes as a complication of the disease. Diabetic ketoacidosis occurs when your body does not have enough insulin to use glucose (the normal source of energy) which prevent your cells from getting the glucose they need for energy. Accordingly, your body starts burning fats into ketones to get the energy it needs. Increasing the ketone levels in your blood makes it more acidic. When ketones level increase, you can develop diabetic ketoacidosis. Diabetic ketoacidosis is more frequent in patients with type 1 diabetes than in patients with type 2 diabetes. Treating diabetic ketoacidosis is usually done in the hospital but you can prevent it by understanding the warning signs and doing regular check-ups for your urine and blood. 

Symptoms

Learning the symptoms of diabetic ketoacidosis is crucial. Diabetic ketoacidosis usually develops slowly with early symptoms like: 

Being very thirsty 
Frequent urination 
Dehydration 
Headache 
High number of ketones in your urine or blood (when evaluated at home) 
Blood sugar level is more than 250 mg/dL 
If left untreated, diabetic ketoacidosis may cause more severe symptoms like: 

Abdominal pain 
Shortness of breath 
Fruity-smelling breath 
Feeling very tired or weak 
Feeling disoriented or confused 
Decreased alertness or confusion 
Diabetic ketoacidosis is a dangerous and serious condition. If you have any of these symptoms, contact your Diabetes and Endocrinology doctor IMMEDIATELY, or go to the nearest hospital’s emergency room. 

Causes

Infections like flu or urinary tract infections 
Missing doses of diabetes medications 
Physical injury 
Surgery 
Certain medicines like steroids and diuretics 
Pregnancy 
Heart attack or stroke 
Alcohol or drug abuse

Diagnostics

Diabetic ketoacidosis is diagnosed if you have the following four conditions after having some tests (like blood glucose test, ketone testing): 

Your blood glucose level is above 250 mg/dL.  
Your blood pH is less than 7.3. 
You have ketones in your urine and/or blood. 
Your blood bicarbonate level is less than 18 mEq per L. 

Treatment

Diabetic ketoacidosis is usually treated in hospitals; the treatment may include: 

Insulin to reverse the conditions that cause diabetic ketoacidosis. 
Medicines for the underlying cause such as antibiotics for treating an infection. 
Intravenous supplied fluids and nutrients to rehydrate your body and replace the lost nutrients. 
Although diabetic ketoacidosis is a serious condition, there are things you can do to help prevent it: 

Monitor your blood sugar level frequently. 
Keep your blood sugar levels within the target range. 
Even if you feel fine, take your medicines as prescribed. 
Consult your doctor for advice on how to change your insulin dosage in response to what you eat, how active you are, or whether you are ill. 

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