What is DKA

General
1

ANY BODY GUIDE ME WHAT IS DKA AND IS THIS HAPPEN SUDDENLY OR LONG TERM SICKNESS HOW WE CAN PREVENT AND HOW IS THIS STARTED?

2

DKA is started when when no insulin is absorbing the glucose and distributing it to your cells to create energy.  With DKA, the sugar you are eating is going directly into your bloodstream creating acid.  Usual symptoms of DKA (I know because I have been diagnosed with DKA 4 times in my life) are (from wikipedia but are all true):

  • Sluggishness, extreme tiredness.
  • Extreme thirst, despite large fluid intake.
  • Constant urination
  • Fruity smell to breath, similar to nail polish remover (acetone).
  • Hyperventilation, at first rapid and shallow, then progressively deeper and less rapid.
  • Extreme weight loss.
  • Oral Thrush and/or persistent vaginal yeast infections may be present; this is because the normal fungal flora present in the oral cavity and cervix are disrupted
  • Muscle wasting.
  • Agitation / Irritation / Aggression / Confusion
  • Vomiting, nausea
  • Extreme pain in shoulders, neck and chest

It is very dangerous and you usually must be hospitalized and hydrated because your body needs hydration when you are in DKA.  Usually your body's potassium levels are VERY low which need to be highten in order to regain normal body functions.

Also, they usually hook you up to a Saline drip for the first few hours and pump as much into your body as possible, then slowly add in glucose so that your body has energy to heal.

DKA usually starts (in people with Type 1 on pumps) if you accidently disconnect your infusion set or if something is going wrong with either your pump or your site.

With people on injections, we have a background (basal) insulin working so this is unlikely to happen because of that.  The only time you could develop DKA is if you become VERY sick and insulin resistant or if you decide to not inject anymore.

DKA can happen within 24hours of disconnection to your pump.

Serious cases of DKA can be fatal, but if it is treated (as were mine) you end up being fine.

You can prevent DKA by taking your insulin and checking your BG 4-6 times a day to monitor that you are always good, and by keeping an A1C or 7 or lower.

Remember to check for Ketones when your sugar goes above 14mmol/L (252 for Americans) and treat highs!


If I didn't answer most of your questions... ask your Endo!

Andrée

 

3

DKA stands for Diabetic Ketoacidosis

Read more at http://www.merck.com/mmpe/sec12/ch158/ch158c.html or http://www.diabetes.org/type-1-diabetes/ketoacidosis.jsp