Living with diabetes involves more than just eating the right foods and taking medicines as prescribed. It also helps to understand the role of insulin in helping to maintain one's health and avoid diabetes complications. Diabetic ketoacidosis is a complication of diabetes that can lead to death. Symptoms include vomiting, abdominal pain, deep breathing, increased frequency of urination, fatigue, confusion and in some cases loss of consciousness.
Extremely high levels of ketones can make the blood acidic and lead to a condition called diabetic ketoacidosis, a dangerous health emergency requiring immediate medical attention and markedly different from ketosis. Ketones are by-products of the breakdown of fatty acids. The ketone bodies formed after fat is burned for energy are first seen in the blood, and as their proportion increases, they pass into the urine. This disrupts the delicate chemistry in the body. A sudden excess of ketones indicates a bad situation.
What are the Symptoms of Diabetic Ketoacidosis?
Diabetic ketoacidosis can develop rapidly, so it is important to be aware of its symptoms. The first signs of a possible problem are excessive thirst and frequent urination. If these symptoms develop, a person should check their blood sugar level. Using insulin as prescribed by the specialist and drinking water can help a person feel better when the ketone level rises slightly. After a dose of insulin, the body can once again absorb sugar. In addition, drinking water aids urination and helps to flush excess ketones out of the body. When blood sugar is not controlled, you may experience other symptoms of diabetic ketoacidosis, such as
- Fast, deep breathing
- Fruit-scented breath
- Abdominal pain
- Unconsciousness, confusion
- Loss of consciousness
- Vomiting or diarrhea
- Blurred vision
What is the Relationship Between Insulin and Diabetes?
Insulin is a hormone that enables the body to use glucose (sugar) properly. When there is not enough insulin or when insulin resistance develops, sugar cannot reach the body's cells to be used immediately for energy or to be used later.
Insulin resistance is a condition in which cells cannot use insulin effectively, while insufficient insulin prevents cells from receiving insulin. Type 2 diabetes is marked by insulin resistance, while people with type 1 diabetes cannot make enough insulin.
In both cases, diabetes can lead to unstable blood sugar levels that can be risky for a person's health.
Is Ketosis Bad for Health?
If a person has type 2 diabetes, one of the most effective ways to lower blood sugar is to cut out carbohydrates, which the body quickly processes as sugar.
When carbohydrate intake is drastically cut, as in a high-fat, low-carb keto diet, the body starts burning fat for energy instead of carbohydrates. As previous research notes, ketosis triggers the release of ketones in the body and can lead to rapid weight loss. Ketones are known as acids that the liver produces when the body burns fat for energy.
Ketones mostly don't cause too many problems because the body can usually produce more insulin to slow down the production of this acid. The problem arises when there is not enough insulin to do the job, or when the rate of ketone production is too fast. This is more common in type 1 diabetes and is rarely possible in people with type 2 diabetes.
How is diabetic ketoacidosis diagnosed?
If a person has symptoms of diabetic ketoacidosis, a specialist should be consulted immediately. This condition is potentially life-threatening if left untreated.
At the start of treatment, the specialist may perform various tests to determine whether you have diabetic ketoacidosis or another condition, and may also order a urinalysis to quickly assess whether ketones are present. He or she may recommend that you have a chest x-ray to check the person's organ function.
Treatment of Diabetic Ketoacidosis
Insulin therapy is among the primary treatments for diabetic ketoacidosis. Fluids and insulin can be administered intravenously. Fluids are necessary because this can cause excessive urination and increase the risk of dehydration. Fluids also replace lost electrolytes, while insulin helps stop ketone production and allows glucose to enter the body's cells.