Diabetic Ketoacidosis Causes High Blood Sugar, Ketones Levels for Home Blood Sugar, Ketone Test

Diabetic ketoacidosis is a potentially fatal complication of diabetes. This form of acidosis results because fat, rather than sugar, is broken down for energy.

The breakdown of fat produces ketones, a toxic acid, causing your blood to accumulate more acid than what’s healthy.  Correspondingly, your blood sugar levels will also rise.  Why?

It’s all about insulin.  An often quick, health deteriorating occurrence of diabetic ketoacidosis is caused by not enough insulin.  Insulin is required for glucose (sugar) to enter cells.

When there’s too little insulin to spur sugar into energy starved cells, your body turns to fat.  With hormone collaboration, fat becomes your cell’s alternate fuel source.  And your body becomes awash in ketones, sometimes within 24 hours.

Diabetic ketoacidosis is frequently the first sign for diabetes.  More common with type 1 diabetes, but can happen to those with type 2.

Ketone build up causes symptoms like:

Starvation, hypoglycemia or infections, such as a cold or flu, can cause ketoacidosis as well.

Diabetic ketoacidosis can be triggered by:

Signs and symptoms of diabetic ketoacidosis may mimic those of a viral infection or more serious health condition.  Checking your blood sugar and ketone levels might facilitate a quick determination.

The specific signs of high blood sugar and urine ketone levels for diabetic ketoacidosis can be detected through home blood and urine testing kits.  OTC blood sugar and urine ketone test kits are available without a prescription.

Bear in mind that untreated diabetic ketoacidosis is plausibly fatal.  So yeah, it means seeking health care immediately.

A seasoned diabetic may be able to take appropriate corrective action with their insulin before their high blood sugar condition deteriorates into an emergency situation.

Diabetic ketoacidosis is treated with fluids, electrolytes and insulin. Oddly, treatment complications can be an aftermath of these “save your life” treatments.  For instance:

Still, your health risk is too immense without treatment.  And antibiotics may be necessary if a bacterial infection is suspected.

You can play a role in preventing diabetic ketoacidosis and other diabetes complications by:

  • always be prepared to act quickly
  • commit to managing your diabetes
  • carefully monitor your blood sugar level
  • take oral diabetes medications or insulin as directed
  • healthy eating & physical activity need to be a part of your daily routine
  • check your ketone levels with urine ketones test kit whenever ill or stressed
  • adjust insulin dosage when needed ~ educate yourself on factors for adjustment
  • insulin pump users need to regularly check tubing for blockages, kinks, disconnections

A diabetic ketoacidosis event is frightening.  However, if you have diabetes, then recognizing early warning signs and symptoms of ketoacidosis makes time for a calm emergency response.

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