Diabetic Ketoacidosis Causes

The condition known as diabetic ketoacidosis occurs when the body has no insulin. This leaves the muscle, fat, and liver cells unable to use glucose (sugar) in the blood as fuel. Other hormones such as glucagon, growth hormone, and adrenaline cause fat to break down within the cells of these tissues into glucose and fatty acids. These fatty acids are converted to ketones by a process called oxidation. The body is literally consuming muscle, fat, and liver cells for fuel.

In diabetic ketoacidosis the body shifts from its normal metabolism using carbohydrates for fuel to a fasting state using fat for fuel. The resulting increase in blood sugar because it cannot be transported into cells for future use causes increased urination and dehydration. Commonly, 10% of total body fluids may be lost. Significant loss of potassium from urination is also common.

• The most common events that cause person with diabetes to enter a state of diabetic ketoacidosis are these:
  
  
  • Infection (40%)
    
    
  • Missed insulin (25%)
    
    
  • Newly diagnosed or previously unknown diabetes (15%)

• Various other causes may include a heart attack, stroke, trauma, stress, and surgery. There is no identifiable cause 5-10% of the time.