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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] A person's breath may develop a specific "fruity" smell. [1]
Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) is one of the life-threatening severe complications of diabetes that demands immediate attention and intervention. [7] It is considered a medical emergency and can affect both patients with T1D (type 1 diabetes) and T2D (type 2 diabetes), but it is more common in T1D. [8]
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.
If the patient is known to have diabetes, the diagnosis of diabetic ketoacidosis is usually suspected from the appearance and a history of 1–2 days of vomiting. The diagnosis is confirmed when the usual blood chemistries in the emergency department reveal a high blood sugar level and severe metabolic acidosis.
Type 2 diabetes is different in that it is usually caused by insulin resistance in the body in older patients leading to beta cell burnout over time, and is not prone to DKA. KPD is a condition that involves DKA like type 1, but occurs later in life and can regain beta cell function like type 2 diabetes.
Endocrine disorders are often quite complex, involving a mixed picture of hyposecretion and hypersecretion because of the feedback mechanisms involved in the endocrine system. For example, most forms of hyperthyroidism are associated with an excess of thyroid hormone and a low level of thyroid stimulating hormone. [2]
Even though people with diabetes aren’t able to produce their own insulin, they can still respond to insulin, so treatment involves lifelong insulin therapy to regulate their blood glucose levels and basically enable their cells to use glucose. One really serious complication with type 1 diabetes is called diabetic ketoacidosis, or DKA.
The polyol metabolic pathway. [6]Cells use glucose for energy.This normally occurs by phosphorylation from the enzyme hexokinase. However, if large amounts of glucose are present (as in diabetes mellitus), hexokinase becomes saturated and the excess glucose enters the polyol pathway when aldose reductase reduces it to sorbitol.