Diabetic ketoacidosis is a complication of diabetes characterized by a large amount of glucose in the blood, an increase in the concentration of circulating ketones and a decrease in blood pH, which usually happens when insulin treatment is not performed correctly or when other problems, such as infections, arise or vascular diseases, for example.
Ketoacidosis treatment should be done as soon as possible to avoid complications and it is recommended to go to the nearest hospital or emergency room as soon as the first symptoms appear, such as feeling of intense thirst, breath with the smell of acetone, tiredness, abdominal pain and diarrhea, for example.
Symptoms of diabetic ketoacidosis
The main symptoms indicative of diabetic ketoacidosis are:
- Feeling of intense thirst and dry mouth; Dry skin; Frequent urge to urinate; Breath that smells like acetone; Tiredness and weakness; Shallow and rapid breathing; Abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting; Mental confusion.
In more severe cases, ketoacidosis can also cause cerebral edema, coma and death when not identified and treated quickly.
If signs of diabetic ketoacidosis are observed, it is important to assess the amount of sugar in the blood with the aid of a glucometer. If a glucose concentration of 300 mg / dL or more is found, it is recommended to go immediately to the emergency room or call an ambulance so that treatment can be started as soon as possible.
In addition to assessing glucose concentration, blood ketone levels, which are also high, and blood pH, which in this case is acid, are usually checked. Here's how to know the blood pH.
How diabetic ketoacidosis happens
In the case of type 1 diabetes, the body is unable to produce or produces little insulin, which causes glucose to remain in high concentrations in the blood and low in the cells. This causes the body to use fat as an energy source to maintain body functions, leading to the production of excess ketone bodies, which is called ketosis.
The presence in excess of ketone bodies causes a decrease in the pH of the blood, making it more acid, which is called acidosis. The more acidic the blood is, the less the body's ability to perform its functions, which can lead to a coma and even death.
How is the treatment
Treatment for metabolic ketoacidosis should be started as soon as possible on admission to the hospital, as it is necessary to make injections of serum and insulin directly into the vein to replenish minerals and properly hydrate the patient.
In addition, it is important that the treatment of diabetes be reestablished by means of insulin injections in order to regulate insulin levels, and must be continued by the patient to control the disease.
Normally, the patient is discharged in about 2 days and, at home, the patient must maintain the prescribed insulin program during hospitalization and eat balanced meals every 3 hours, to prevent diabetic ketoacidosis from recurring. Check out what food for diabetes looks like in the following video:
