Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) is a complication of diabetes. It can occur when the body does not have enough insulin to use sugar as energy. Instead, it breaks down fat and produces ketones. This can ...

To develop DKA, the patient must experience a relative insulin deficiency 4 (very little circulating insulin) in the setting of increased counter-regulatory hormone concentrations. This relative lack ...

Monitoring blood sugar and ketone levels can help prevent complications. In some cases, people may experience euglycemic diabetic ketoacidosis. This refers to when a person has high ketone levels but ...

When cells cannot access glucose as an energy source, the body turns to alternative fuels, such as fat. This process produces substances known as ketones, which can accumulate in blood and urine. In ...

In the emergency room, the patient’s lab work was obtained, and he was determined to not have diabetic ketoacidosis. He was provided with a correction dose of insulin for a glucose value of 385 mg/dL.