Diabetic Ketoazidosis
The medical term diabetic ketoacidosis describes hyperacidity, which is also a life-threatening condition. Most notably, diabetic ketoacidosis occurs in people with type 1 diabetes mellitus.
What is diabetic ketoacidosis?
The patient complains of nausea in diabetic ketoacidosis. This is because the sudden increase in blood sugar levels – blood glucose – also means an increase in ketone bodies in the urine. The patient also complains about typical symptoms of hyperacidity. He is nauseous, vomiting and breathing rapidly.
Patients suffering from diabetic ketoacidosis need immediate medical attention as it is an acute and life-threatening condition. The patient primarily receives liquid, salts and insulin . Prevention of diabetic ketoacidosis occurs with proper treatment and classification of type I diabetes mellitus.
causes
First of all: Diabetic ketoacidosis occurs when there is a lack of insulin. Insulin’s main job is to lower blood sugar. Insulin also reduces the burning of fats in the body. If there is a lack of insulin, blood sugar will automatically rise. If the patient has a severe deficiency, the burning of fat in the body gets out of control at the same time. Thus, among other things, ketone also falls.Humans excrete blood sugar and all waste products resulting from fat burning through the urine. Thus, the body not only gets rid of large amounts of water, but also salts. Ketone leads to acidification of the body and organism in the blood. In diabetic ketoacidosis, the body tries to break down the acids again through rapid and accelerated breathing.
When to the doctor?
Without treatment, diabetic ketoacidosis can lead to patient death. For this reason, treatment of this disease is imperative to prevent death from occurring. In most cases, ketoacidosis occurs relatively suddenly, so no prior diagnosis is possible. Those affected suffer from breathing difficulties and increased thirst. It can also cause vomiting and nausea. Increased thirst also causes frequent urination. If these symptoms occur, a doctor must be consulted in any case.
As the disease progresses, the affected person may lose consciousness or even fall into a coma. If you lose consciousness, you must call an ambulance. Since this can also lead to a fall, the person concerned must be laid carefully on a surface. Abdominal pain or sudden tiredness can also be symptoms of diabetic ketoacidosis and should be examined by a doctor. As a rule, the examination can be carried out by the general practitioner or by an emergency doctor.
symptoms and course
Typical symptoms of diabetic ketoacidosis:
- kiss-mouth breathing
Diabetic ketoacidosis is almost always associated with the patient’s very high blood sugar levels. The following symptoms are systematic for diabetic ketoacidosis: The patient complains of thirst, has to urinate frequently, is tired and suffers from persistent loss of appetite. Furthermore, the patient complains about the typical symptoms of hyperacidity. He suffers from “Kussmaul’sche breathing” – deep breathing, as well as from nausea, abdominal pain and vomiting.
He also notices an acetone smell. Many patients also complain about changes in consciousness. Diabetic ketoacidosis also often occurs in conjunction with other diseases. Usually in infectious diseases . Diabetic ketoacidosis usually develops within a few hours.
Diagnose
The doctor makes the diagnosis of diabetic ketoacidosis based on the following tests: First and foremost, he measures the patient ‘s blood sugar level . After that, the doctor measures the sugar and ketone bodies in the urine. Furthermore, the physician takes a blood sample from the artery on the wrist and simultaneously measures the degree of acidity – pH value – and the blood gases.
The doctor also measures the salts in the blood – mainly sodium and potassium . Based on the results, the doctor determines diabetic ketoacidosis. The doctor also looks for possible infectious diseases that also cause diabetic ketoacidosis.
complications
This complaint is a very serious illness which, in the worst case, can even lead to the death of the patient. It must therefore be examined and treated by a doctor in any case, so that there are no consequential damages or other complications. Patients suffer from increased urination, which occurs due to increased thirst. Furthermore, the patient becomes very tired and exhausted , resulting in severe limitations in everyday life. Those affected appear very exhausted and can no longer concentrate.
In some cases, there is also a loss of consciousness or even a coma. The disease has a very negative effect on the quality of life and can also lead to psychological problems or depression . It is not uncommon for patients to complain of severe abdominal pain and nausea and vomiting.
In acute emergencies, the disease can be treated by an emergency doctor or in a hospital. As a rule, the person concerned must ensure a healthy diet. Antibiotics are taken for infections or inflammation. Complications, as a rule, arise only when the treatment of this disease occurs late.
treatment and therapy
The key feature of treating diabetic ketoacidosis is the addition of insulin. Furthermore, the treatment includes a supply of fluids and salt – especially potassium and sodium. In the case of infections, the patient is also given antibiotics to treat them. If the doctor or the patient recognizes the symptoms of diabetic ketoacidosis in good time, treatment and healing of the disease is not a problem.
Problems only arise when treatment is late or inadequate. If left untreated, the patient’s life is in acute danger. Most importantly, it is important that the symptoms are correctly identified. The patient often misinterprets diabetic ketoacidosis as normal hyperacidity and fails to recognize the correct diagnosis. People who are already suffering from diabetic ketoacidosis should therefore always carry out regular self-tests. In this way, the patient is on the safe side that diabetic ketoacidosis is not creeping up or has already occurred.In the case of infectious diseases, too, it is important that the cause is identified and prevented. When taking the anamnesis, it is also an advantage if the patient clearly presents his or her medical history to the doctor. In this way, he knows which treatment has a positive effect on the patient and which has a rather negative effect. Time is also a factor in treatment – while diabetic ketoacidosis is relatively benign when it first occurs, it is acutely life-threatening and extremely dangerous when treated later.
prevention
The prevention of diabetic ketoacidosis is the measure of all things. The patient himself has to make sure that he attends the medical check-ups and has his blood sugar level checked regularly. Regular monitoring is the only way to prevent diabetic ketoacidosis. With strip tests, the patient can also test his own values in the urine. Above all, people who have already suffered from diabetic ketoacidosis should always carry out self-tests to see whether all the values are in the green range.
Hello and welcome to my Health Guide & Encyclopedia! My name is Dorothy Farrar, and I'm the founder and main author of this platform.
My passion for health and wellness started at a young age when I became interested in the connection between the food we eat and the way we feel. This fascination led me to study nutrition and dietetics in college, where I learned about the importance of a balanced diet and the impact of various nutrients on the body.