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Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) is a potentially life-threatening complication of diabetes mellitus. [1] Signs and symptoms may include vomiting , abdominal pain , deep gasping breathing , increased urination , weakness, confusion and occasionally loss of consciousness . [ 1 ]
The expected result of the treatment tackles the deeper causes; which are dehydration, acidosis, and hyperglycemia, and initiates a reversal of the ketosis process. [9] While replacing fluid and electrolyte loss, insulin, and acid-placed balance are the aim of this treatment.
The most common cause of ketoacidosis is a deficiency of insulin in type 1 diabetes or late-stage type 2 diabetes. This is called diabetic ketoacidosis and is characterized by hyperglycemia, dehydration and metabolic acidosis. Other electrolyte disturbances such as hyperkalemia and hyponatremia may also be present.
Ketosis is a metabolic state characterized by elevated levels of ketone bodies in the blood or urine. Physiological ketosis is a normal response to low glucose availability. . In physiological ketosis, ketones in the blood are elevated above baseline levels, but the body's acid–base homeostasis is maintain
Diabetic ketoacidosis (usually type 1) advanced enough to result in unconsciousness from a combination of a severely increased blood sugar level, dehydration and shock, and exhaustion; Hyperosmolar nonketotic coma (usually type 2) in which an extremely high blood sugar level and dehydration alone are sufficient to cause unconsciousness.
The first, and perhaps most perplexing, cause of dehydration in older adults is a lack of thirst. During the aging process, thirst sensation naturally decreases, says Dr. Audrey Chun, vice chair ...
[25] [26] Adults with type 1 diabetes tend to have more varied symptoms, which come on over months, rather than days or weeks. [27] [26] Prolonged lack of insulin can cause diabetic ketoacidosis, characterized by fruity breath odor, mental confusion, persistent fatigue, dry or flushed skin, abdominal pain, nausea or vomiting, and labored breathing.
In fasting adults, blood plasma glucose should not exceed 7 mmol/L or 126 mg/dL. Sustained higher levels of blood sugar cause damage to the blood vessels and to the organs they supply, leading to the complications of diabetes. [48] Chronic hyperglycemia can be measured via the HbA1c test. The definition of acute hyperglycemia varies by study ...