by Charles Roring
Ketoasidosis is an emergency situation in people with diabetes which is caused by hyperglycemia. When there is too much sugar in the blood, acid will be formed. The word Keto comes from Ketone which is the brake down of fat in the body. Ketone causes increase of acid in the blood.
It occurs when cells in the muscles cannot develop energy. In this emergency situation the body had to break down fats causing the development of acid.
Diabetic Ketoacidosis is often found in type 1 diabetes when patients are lack of insulin. Probably patients stop the insulin injection or reduce the dose. Another possibility is that there is resistance to insulin during infections or other intercurrent ilness.
People with diabetes who suffer from infections and stress will develop adrenalin to overcome them which also trigger the development of ketoacidosis.
Complaints and symptoms of ketoacidosis or KAD are as follows:
- faster and deep breathing
- drowsiness
- dehydration
- acetone on breath
- hypotension
- gastric splash
To prevent ketoacidosis, we must remember that we must not stop insulin injection. If there are signs of the development of ketoacidosis we have to immediately measure the number of ketone in the blood usually by using a ketone meter. The measurement of ketone can be done by the patient himself. The strip which is used in measuring ketone will show whether it is in low, moderate or high level.
A patient whose ketone is high must be hospitalized immediately for intensive care, otherwise he will be in coma and may die.
We have to be aware if we find signs of increasing ketone:
- the weight of the body drops drastically
- over-breathing more than 35 times/minutes
- the breath has smells of ketone
- uncontrolled rising of blood glucose
- confused and anxious
- vomiting
- dry skin and tongue
In the hospital, patient of ketoacidosis will receive intravenous fluids. He or she will also receive small dose intravenous insulin injection every hour. As the reaction, the blood glucose will down and the body will stop producing ketone.
