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Clinical features of diabetic ketoacidosis

Last reviewed dd mmm yyyy. Last edited dd mmm yyyy

Authoring team

Clinical presentation of DKA may vary according to the severity and comorbid conditions. The symptoms of diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) usually develop rapidly over 1 day or less and may include:

  • polyuria with polydipsia – commonest presenting symptom
  • weight loss
  • fatigue
  • dyspnea
  • vomiting
  • preceding febrile illness
  • abdominal pain
  • polyphagia

Patients may have tachycardia, poor skin turgor, dry mucous membranes, and orthostatic hypotension due to dehydration (1).

Deep (Kussmaul) respirations are seen as a compensatory mechanism for metabolic acidosis (1)

If severely ill, extreme cases may progress to shock, oliguria and anuria.

The breath may have a distinctive fruity smell - ketotic breath; however the ability to detect this smell is absent is a sizeable proportion of the population - and, by extrapolation, the medical population.

Mental status of patient may vary from confusion, drowsiness, progressive obtundation to loss of consciousness and coma (1,2)

Note:

  • nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain that may mimic an acute abdominal condition
  • DKA may rarely be precipitated by sepsis, and fever is not part of DKA

Reference:


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The content herein is provided for informational purposes and does not replace the need to apply professional clinical judgement when diagnosing or treating any medical condition. A licensed medical practitioner should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions.

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