Controlling Diabetic Ketoacidosis
Diabetic ketoacidosis is a silent killer on the prowl. This deadly condition upsets the blood chemistry so severely that the patient’s very life is threatened. Studies have shown that there are three high-risk categories of people who are more vulnerable to diabetic ketoacidosis. The first category includes those who are seriously diabetic (Type 1). The second includes those who are severely dehydrated. The third includes those who have had massive infections by bacteria or viruses. The rest of the population may not be that much at risk, but make no mistake, just about everybody is on this prowler’s hit-list. Make sure you don’t get your name up on that list!
This condition is related to the metabolic functions of the body. Food is digested to produce glucose, a form of sugar. Glucose is used by the muscles directly to carry out our basic functions. Glucose which is not needed immediately is converted to and stored as fat. Whenever the glucose levels dwindle, the body takes recourse to the stored energy reserves within our body, that is, the fats, reconverting them back to glucose, that is energy.
The presence of the fatty acid in the blood changes the chemistry of the blood and makes it more acidic than it ought to be. This condition is called ketoacidosis. The body is sufficiently competent to eliminate the excess ketones from the blood on a regular basis. If the ketoacidosis goes beyond the normal level and if it is chronic, then the normal blood chemistry is altered to such an extent that normal life becomes impossible for the sufferer. The high-risk categories are more likely to get diabetic ketoacidosis, but the other catgories are vulnerable to this condition nonetheless.
In brief, the condition itself is not so much the danger as the delay in treatment is. Why is there this delay? Because the symptoms become evident only after the condition is firmly entrenched. The particular symptoms one should look out for are enumerated below.
Skin dryness, elevated temperature, flushed or pale appearance.
Another telltale sign is impaired vision. A person with diabetic ketoacidosis experiences severe blurring of vision.
The breath can acquire a peculiar odor best described as sickly “sweet smelling”.
The person with diabetic ketoacidosis can feel very tired, so tired that he sleeps almost throughout the day. He won’t even take part in those activities that he likes.
Diabetic ketoacidosis severely reduces the appetite. Sometimes, a person will not be able to keep the food down, bringing it up almost immediately after eating it.
The most critical manifestation of diabetic ketoacidosis is related to the thought processing capability of the brain. The person goes through spells where he is completely confused.
The only effective treatment of diabetic ketoacidosis is a prolonged one. The patient should cooperate with the doctors and take the prescribed treatment exactly as advised. The patient must avoid dehydration, taking rehydrating solutions if necessary. The blood glucose must be monitored round-the-clock to avoid it going over or below the normal limits. If these guidelines are followed, diabetic ketoacidosis can be beaten, rest assured!
There are two things everyone should have to assist in controlling their diabetes. The first is a good inventory of diabetic testing supplies and the other is a wholesome diabetic diet plan. Go to www.Diabetes-Diabetic-Diet-Plans.com to read more about this disease and ways to control it.