Diabetic ketoacidosis: dangerously high blood glucose levels. It is due to very low or zero insulin levels, and generally only occurs in type 1 diabetes, because patients with type 2 have sufficient reserves to prevent this occurring.
Treatment errors, critical illnesses (myocardial infarction, trauma, cerebral vascular accident, burns), and infections are common precipitants of diabetic ketoacidosis.
This can result in patient being in a coma, and may well be the first symptom to be notice prior to a diagnosis of diabetes. It requires urgent attention because, of severe, it can be life-threatening.
Diabetic ketoacidosis usually develops over 24 hours. Major signs in include hyperglycemia and volume depletion with average fluid deficit 5 L.
Other signs and symptoms identifies include: polyuria, polydipsia, weakness, fatigue and weight loss and patients tend to present with abdominal pain and vomiting.
In severe ketoacidosis they may be tachycardia, hypotension, and skin turgour. Blood levels of ketone bodies are elevated and the patient’s breath may have a fruity odor from excess acetone production. The respiratory center is typically stimulated by the low plasma pH, resulting in rapid, deep breathing.
In diabetic ketoacidosis, if it mild, tiredness also mild but as diabetic ketoacidosis worsens the patient will fell increasingly drowsy, and if ketoacidosis becomes severe the patient can lose consciousness.
Symptoms of ketoacidosis
