Scribd Logo
Upload

Welcome to Scribd!

  • 32 views

    Diabetic Ketoacidosis

    Uploaded by

    preety
    Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) is a medical emergency where ketone levels in the blood rise due to low glucose levels in cells. This occurs when cells cannot utilize glucose for energy and instead break down fat, producing acidic ketones. Persons with diabetes, especially type 1, are at high risk as they do not have enough insulin to regulate blood glucose. Stress from infections can also trigger DKA by causing hyperglycemia. Symptoms range from tiredness and thirst to vomiting, confusion and loss of consciousness. DKA is diagnosed through urine tests detecting excess ketones and glucose, and requires immediate treatment for dehydration, electrolyte imbalance, and insulin therapy.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved

    Diabetic Ketoacidosis

    Uploaded by

    preety
    32 views4 pages
    Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) is a medical emergency where ketone levels in the blood rise due to low glucose levels in cells. This occurs when cells cannot utilize glucose for energy and instead break down fat, producing acidic ketones. Persons with diabetes, especially type 1, are at high risk as they do not have enough insulin to regulate blood glucose. Stress from infections can also trigger DKA by causing hyperglycemia. Symptoms range from tiredness and thirst to vomiting, confusion and loss of consciousness. DKA is diagnosed through urine tests detecting excess ketones and glucose, and requires immediate treatment for dehydration, electrolyte imbalance, and insulin therapy.

    Original Description:

    Signs and symptoms, Risk factors, Causes, Diabetes mellitus link to DKA

    Original Title

    Diabetic ketoacidosis

    Copyright

    © © All Rights Reserved

    Did you find this document useful?

    Is this content inappropriate?

    Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) is a medical emergency where ketone levels in the blood rise due to low glucose levels in cells. This occurs when cells cannot utilize glucose for energy and instead break down fat, producing acidic ketones. Persons with diabetes, especially type 1, are at high risk as they do not have enough insulin to regulate blood glucose. Stress from infections can also trigger DKA by causing hyperglycemia. Symptoms range from tiredness and thirst to vomiting, confusion and loss of consciousness. DKA is diagnosed through urine tests detecting excess ketones and glucose, and requires immediate treatment for dehydration, electrolyte imbalance, and insulin therapy.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    32 views4 pages

    Diabetic Ketoacidosis

    Uploaded by

    preety
    Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) is a medical emergency where ketone levels in the blood rise due to low glucose levels in cells. This occurs when cells cannot utilize glucose for energy and instead break down fat, producing acidic ketones. Persons with diabetes, especially type 1, are at high risk as they do not have enough insulin to regulate blood glucose. Stress from infections can also trigger DKA by causing hyperglycemia. Symptoms range from tiredness and thirst to vomiting, confusion and loss of consciousness. DKA is diagnosed through urine tests detecting excess ketones and glucose, and requires immediate treatment for dehydration, electrolyte imbalance, and insulin therapy.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    of 4

    Diabetic Ketoacidosis

    Signs and symptoms, Risk factors, Causes, Diabetes mellitus link to DKA
    Diabetic ketoacidosis is a condition of metabolic imbalance and is a medical emergency. It is

    a condition in which ketone level in blood increases as a result of glucose deficiency within

    the cells and use of fats for energy. Glucose accumulates in blood as cells are unable to take it

    up. Ketones are acidic, so blood pH decreases immediately. Thus, DKA combines three major

    features- hypergycemia, hyperketosis and acidosis.

    Persons suffering from diabetes millitus are at a high risk of DKA. Insulin is a hormone

    which stimulate uptake of glucose by cells from blood. Diabetes mellitus is a condition of not

    having enough of insulin to lower blood glucose level (type 1) or cells are unable to take

    glucose from blood (type 2) due to defect in membrane transporters. In such conditions cells

    start utilizing fat instead of glucose for energy generation produce ketones in this process.

    This leads to increased ketone level in blood.

    Mostly type 1 diabetics suffer with DKA. Many times type 2 diabetics are also seen to

    suffer with DKA. Increase in stress hormone level due to common infections like pneumonia

    or urinary tract infections or to stop having insulin can lead to hyperglycemia and DKA.

    Early signs of DKA may include tiredness, excessive thirst and excessive urination.

    Signs of dehydration like dry mouth may appear. Later signs may include vomiting,

    abdominal pain mental confusion, difficulty in breathing, blurred vision, loss of appetite,

    fruity breath odor, fever and unconsciousness.

    DKA diagnosis involves a test for ketones and a test for glucose in urine. Excess ketones

    and glucose that have accumulated in blood are excreted into urine. DKA require immediate

    medical treatment. It requires treatment for dehydration and electrolyte imbalance. Insulin

    therapy must be started to control hyperglycemia. Proper medical checkups to monitor blood
    glucose level, drinking plenty of water during illness and regularly having insulin can prevent

    DKA.

    References
    1. Chakrapani, U., Satyanarayana, U., Biochemistry, 4th ed.

    2. Cox, M. M., Nelson, D. L., Principles of Biochemistry, 5th ed(2008).

    3. Ketoacidosis at Wikipedia.

    You might also like