The medical condition known as ketoacidosis is a serious occurrence for diabetics to be aware of and prevent from occurring. This type of condition is what may lead to diabetic coma in certain cases and is life threatening in nature. Ketoacidosis occurs in type 1 diabetics but is very rare for type 2 diabetics. The following will provide some information on ketoacidosis including how this medical condition in diabetics is treated.
What Is Ketoacidosis?
Ketoacidosis is a dangerously high level of ketones within the body. Ketones are the acids which build up in the individual’s blood. When one doesn’t have enough insulin, these ketones will appear in the urine of the person. The ketones are poison to the body and a true sign that one’s diabetes is no longer under control. Stopping the ketoacidosis is essential for the recovery of the diabetic.
How Is Ketoacidosis Treated?
Diabetic ketoacidosis is treated in a quick manner in order to help the patient recovery as quickly and fully as possible. The treatment methods are varied and these are often used in conjunction with one another. The first step for treating ketoacidosis is replenishment of fluids. Those who experience ketoacidosis will lose large amounts of fluids so it is extremely important to rehydrate the individual. This is done via IVs or by mouth if possible. Rehydrating the patient will also help to dilute the high blood glucose levels.
The next step after rehydration is to replace the electrolytes within the body. These are minerals in the blood which carry an electric charge and include sodium, potassium and chloride, to name a few. Having enough electrolytes within the body is crucial as these are the items which keep the heart, muscles and nerve cells working properly. It is the lack of insulin which causes these electrolytes to be negatively affected. During the replacement of these electrolytes your doctor will monitor the levels and may even monitor the heart to ensure that it is in proper working order.
The individual diagnosed with ketoacidosis may likely need to obtain insulin therapy via IV. The insulin is what will help the cells take the glucose and use it for energy. The insulin will lower the concentration of glucose in your body and level out the blood glucose range. IV insulin therapy will stop once the blood is not acidic anymore and then you can resume normal insulin treatment.
How to Prevent Ketoacidosis
The best possible treatment method for ketoacidosis is preventing it from occurring in the first place. There are quite a few ways to keep your blood glucose level in check and prevent an episode of this serious medical condition from ever happening. One of the best prevention methods is to constantly monitor your blood glucose levels and ketone levels. Take note that certain occurrences can cause your levels to be altered greatly and some of these include trauma, infections, pregnancy and excessive amounts of stress. Excessive blood sugar levels could mean high ketone levels so constantly monitor both if your blood glucose levels seem extremely high.
Also consider if you are taking your insulin when you should and in the proper dosage amounts. If your insulin treatments are off then ketoacidosis may be the result. It is crucial to keep insulin at a stable level. With that said you should know the symptoms associated with low insulin levels and know what to do when these symptoms occur.
Lastly, preventing serious injury or death as a result of ketoacidosis can be related to the length of time in which it takes you to obtain treatment. Therefore, get medical attention immediately should something seem not right or seem to be one of the various symptoms of ketoacidosis. Quick treatment is a necessity with this type of medical condition.