Diabetic ketoacidosis is a complication of diabetes characterized by a large amount of blood glucose, an increase in the concentration of circulating ketones and a decrease in blood pH, which usually occurs when insulin treatment is not done correctly or when other problems, such as infections, or vascular diseases, for example.
Treatment of ketoacidosis 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 thirst, acetone-scented breathing, fatigue, abdominal pain and diarrhea, for example.
The main symptoms of diabetic ketoacidosis are
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 evaluate the amount of blood sugar with 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 the glucose concentration, the blood levels of ketones, which are also high, and the blood pH, which in this case is acidic, are usually monitored. Here’s how to find out your blood pH.
In the case of type 1 diabetes, the body is unable or produces little insulin, so glucose remains in high concentrations in the blood and low concentrations in the cells, which leads the body to use fat as a source of energy to maintain the body. functions, leading to the production of excess ketone bodies, so-called ketosis.
The presence of an excess of ketones causes a decrease in the pH of the blood, leaving it more acidic, which is called acidosis.The more acidic the blood, the less able the body is to perform its functions, which can lead to coma and even death.
Treatment of metabolic ketoacidosis should be initiated as soon as possible upon admission to the hospital, as serum and insulin injections are necessary directly into the vein to replenish the minerals and properly moisturize the patient.
In addition, it is important that diabetes treatment is restored with insulin injections to regulate insulin levels, and the patient should continue it to control the disease.
The patient is usually discharged after approximately 2 days and, at home, should maintain the prescribed insulin schedule during hospitalization and eat balanced meals every 3 hours to prevent diabetic ketoacidosis from occurring.Play. Find out what diabetes foods look like in the video below: