Diabetic Ketoacidosis
Alternate Names : DKA
Diabetic ketoacidosis, or DKA, is a condition in which the body has a severe
deficiency of insulin. Insulin is a hormone that helps regulate the level of
glucose in the blood. Glucose is the main form of sugar in the body. DKA is a
serious complication of
diabetes.
What is going on in the body?
Diabetes ketoacidosis is a serious but treatable complication of diabetes. A
person who has DKA has a significant deficiency of insulin in his or her body.
Without insulin, the body is unable to move glucose from the bloodstream to the
body cells.
This results in high levels of glucose and acids in the blood. DKA occurs
mainly in those who have type 1
diabetes. Rarely, it can occur in those who have
type 2 diabetes.
What are the causes and risks of the condition?
DKA often occurs in children and young adults before they are
diagnosed with type 1
diabetes. The symptoms of DKA often cause people to see a
healthcare provider even before they are diagnosed with diabetes. DKA can
also occur if a person with diabetes fails to take the right amount of insulin
at the right time. It is seen more often in people younger than the age of 19,
but can occur in anyone who has diabetes.
Forty percent of the time, DKA is caused by an infection. Urinary tract
infections are the most common of these. Following are some other causes of
DKA:
complications of
pregnancy
heart attack
injury
stress
stroke
surgery
trauma, or severe injury
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