Diabetic Ketoacidosis

Introduction: Diabetic Ketoacidosis

When diabetics get too high blood sugars, the body creates "ketones" as a by-product of breaking down fats. These ketones cause blood acidity which causes "acidosis" of the blood, leading to Diabetic Ketoacidosis (DKA), This is a very dangerous condition that can lead to coma and death. It is also called "diabetic acidosis", "ketosis", "ketoacidosis" or "diabetic coma".

DKA is a common way for new Type 1 diabetics to be diagnosed. If they fail to seek medical advice on symptoms like urination and weight loss, they may go into DKA without days or weeks. DKA can also occur in Type 1 diabetics and late-stage Type 2 diabetics who neglect their basic blood sugar control (i.e. non-compliance with insulin treatment), or who accidentally get an extreme high from problems such as sick days, injury, surgery, stress, missed insulin doses, and so on.

Whereas Type 1 diabetics tend to get DKA when they go high, Type 2 diabetics often retain enough pancreas function to avoid ketones. In this case, blood acidity does not occur, but it is still dangerous because severe dehydration can lead to HHNS which is almost as dangerous as DKA.

Symptoms of Diabetic Ketoacidosis

• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Breath odor
• Sweet-smelling fruity acetone breath
• Breathing difficulty

See full list of 11 symptoms of Diabetic Ketoacidosis

Home Diagnostic Testing

Home medical testing related to Diabetic Ketoacidosis:

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• Heart Health: Home Testing:
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  • Heart Electrocardiogram (ECG)
• Thyroid: Home Testing:
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• Diet & Weight Loss: Home Testing:
  • Home Weight Testing
  • Home Body Fat Testing (BMI)
  • Home Body Fat Monitoring
  • Home Fitness Testing
• Diabetes: Related Home Testing:
  • Home Diabetes Tests
  • Home Blood Glucose Tests
  • Home Urine Glucose Tests
  • Home Urine Ketone Tests
  • Home Diabetes HbA1c Tests
  • Home Microalbumin Tests (Kidney)
  • Home Urine Protein Tests (Kidney)
  • Home Kidney Tests
  • Home Eye Tests

Medical Textbooks Online about Diabetic Ketoacidosis

Book excerpts: Copyright © 2008 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. All rights reserved.

Diagnostic Tests for Diabetic Ketoacidosis

• Urine ketone tests
• Blood tests
• See also tests for diabetes

Read more about tests for Diabetic Ketoacidosis

Wrongly Diagnosed with Diabetic Ketoacidosis?

• Misdiagnosis of Diabetic Ketoacidosis
• Underlying causes of Diabetic Ketoacidosis (possibly wrongly diagnosed)

In-Depth Reports: Diagnosis and Misdiagnosis

Diabetes diagnosis and misdiagnosis (In-Depth Report): Although diabetes diagnosis is well-known to physicians, and a diabetes diagnosis is unlikely to be wholly incorrect, there are still some rare subtypes and less common diagnostic issues to consider. See also misdiagnosis of diabetes and Diabetes Diagnosis Report....read full report »

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Misdiagnosis and Diabetic Ketoacidosis

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Causes of Diabetic Ketoacidosis

• Diabetes
• Type 1 diabetes
• Type 2 diabetes
• Starvation

Read more about causes of Diabetic Ketoacidosis

More information about causes of Diabetic Ketoacidosis:

• Underlying causes of Diabetic Ketoacidosis
• Diabetic Ketoacidosis as a complication caused by other conditions
• Diabetic Ketoacidosis as a symptom
• Medical news summaries relating to Causes of Diabetic Ketoacidosis

Treatments for Diabetic Ketoacidosis

• Emergency treatment - DKA is a medical emergency.
• Hospitalization
• Treatment of any underlying condition
• Intravenous glucose - if ketosis is caused by starvation
• See also treatment of diabetes

Read more about treatments for Diabetic Ketoacidosis

Videos for Diabetic Ketoacidosis

Patient Surveys for Diabetic Ketoacidosis

• Patient Profile Survey
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• Survey about the symptoms of your Diabetic Ketoacidosis
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Prognosis for Diabetic Ketoacidosis

Prognosis for Diabetic Ketoacidosis: Usually good if treated, but can be fatal without treatment.

More about prognosis of Diabetic Ketoacidosis

Reseach about Diabetic Ketoacidosis

Visit our research pages for current research about Diabetic Ketoacidosis treatments.

Clinical Trials for Diabetic Ketoacidosis

The US based website ClinicalTrials.gov lists information on both federally and privately supported clinical trials using human volunteers.

Some of the clinical trials listed on ClinicalTrials.gov for Diabetic Ketoacidosis include:

• Use of Insulin Glargine to Treat Diabetic Ketoacidosis - This study is currently recruiting patients (Current: 23 Nov 2006) - Insulin Glargine
• Use of the Atkins Diet for Adults With Intractable Epilepsy - This study is currently recruiting patients (Current: 23 Nov 2006)
• Use of the Atkins Diet for Adolescents With Chronic Daily Headache. - This study is currently recruiting patients (Current: 23 Nov 2006)
• Use of the Atkins Diet for Children With Intractable Epilepsy: a Randomized Comparison of Daily Carbohydrate Limits - This study is currently recruiting patients (Current: 23 Nov 2006)

Read more about Clinical Trials for Diabetic Ketoacidosis

Stories from Users Related to Diabetic Ketoacidosis

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Definitions of Diabetic Ketoacidosis:

Complication of diabetes resulting from severe insulin deficiency coupled with an absolute or relative increase in glucagon concentration; metabolic acidosis is caused by the breakdown of adipose stores and resulting increased levels of free fatty acids; glucagon accelerates the oxidation of the free fatty acids producing excess ketone bodies (ketosis). - (Source - Diseases Database)

Acidosis with an accumulation of ketone bodies; occurs primarily in diabetes mellitus - (Source - WordNet 2.1)