Electrolytic imbalance in diabetic ketoacidosis

If you suffer from diabetes, it is important to familiarize yourself with diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA). DKA is a serious complication of diabetes that occurs when the lack of insulin and high blood sugar lead to potentially fatal chemical imbalances. The good news is that the ADK is largely avoidable. Although the DKA is more common with type 1 diabetes, it can also occur with type 2 diabetes. High blood sugar causes excessive urination and sugar spills in the urine. This leads to loss of body water and dehydration as well as the loss of significant electrolytes, including sodium and potassium. The level of another electrolyte, the bicarbonate, also falls when the body tries to compensate for the excessively acidic blood.

Bicarbonate and acidosis

Insulin helps blood sugar move in cells, where it is used for energy production. When insulin is lacking, cells must exploit alternative energy by breaking down fats. The by-products of this alternative process are called ketones. High concentrations of ketones acidify blood, hence the term “ketoacidosis”. Acidosis causes unpleasant symptoms such as nausea, vomiting and rapid breathing. Bicarbonate is an electrolyte which normally thwarts blood acidity. In ADK, the baking rate falls as the production of ketone increases and acidosis is increasing. ADK treatment includes rapid supplementation on insulin to lower blood sugar, which leads to a progressive restoration of the baking rate.

Potassium

Potassium can be low in ADK because this electrolyte is lost due to excessive urination or vomiting. When insulin is used to treat ADK, it can lower blood potassium more by pushing it into cells. Symptoms associated with low potassium include fatigue, muscle weakness, muscle cramps and an irregular heart rate. Gravely low potassium can cause potentially fatal heart rate abnormalities. Frequent monitoring and a timely correction of a low potassium can be wild. Potassium can be taken orally, but in the DKA, intravenous infusion is the best way to quickly reconstruct potassium.

Sodium

Sodium is essential to maintain stable blood pressure and fluid balance in the body. High blood sugar causes excessive urination with loss of body water and sodium. This can cause dehydration and low blood pressure. When the body must restore water on the blood circulation, it does it by pulling it from the other tissues. This influx of water in the blood circulation can cause more sodium dilute. A low level of sodium can cause symptoms of vertigo, fatigue, general weakness and, so serious, mental confusion or crises. Insulin and intravenous fluids containing sodium chloride are used to treat the sodium deficit caused by ADK.