6. a. Blood glucose level > 250 mg/dl
b. Arterial pH < 7.3
c. Serum HCO3 level < 15 mEq/l
d. Moderate Ketonuria & Ketonemia
Diagnostic Criteria for DKA
7. The clinical severity of DKA
depends on the magnitude
of acidosis > the degree of
hyperglycemia
Pearl
8. Initial Evaluation-
Perform Immediately
Good history and clinical examination,
including vital signs, chest, heart, abdomen,
neurological examination
A flow sheet is essential: fluid intake and
output, state of hydration are noted
If coma or shock ---> urinary catheter,
nasogastric tube
It should be noted that management of DKA is
individualized in every case
10. Remember that:
There may be more than one cause of
coma in the same patient:
Diabetic coma and uremic coma, or
Diabetic coma and Cerebrovascular
accident
11. Remember that:
Vascular thrombosis occurs more with
hyperosmolar coma (HNKC)
Abd pain (Periumbilical) may mimic
pancreatitis
(S. amylase is increased but not of pancreatic
origin]
12. Remember that:
A precipitating cause of coma may be more
serious than DKA itself if neglected:
Infection as UTI or chest infection,
Myocardial infarction; so ECG is mandatory
Mesenteric vascular occlusion/ intestinal
obstruction
Cerebrovascular insult; so neurological
examination is essential
14. Fluid replacement
Start with normal saline infusion as
follows:
1000 -2000 ml in the 1st 1-2 Hrs, for a 70
kg man
(15 – 20 ml/Kg/Hr)
(until BP stabilized and urine flow
established by 50-100 ml/hour)
15. Fluid replacement
The patient can generally be viewed as being
10% dehydrated (TBW=60-63% body weight
in male & 52-55% in female)
½ of total calculated deficit should be
corrected over 1st 8 hours plus the urine and
any GIT loss. The second ½ over 16 hours
16. Fluid replacement
Add 5% dextrose or dextrose in 0.45%
saline to IV fluids when Bl. glucose reach
250 mg/dl at rate of 100-200ml/hour
Fluid therapy depends upon degree of
dehydration, age, weight, presence of
cardiovascular diseases or other
associated conditions
18. We are using only regular insulin
The dose should be given by an insulin
syringe matching the insulin bottle
concentration
19. INSULIN
An initial IV bolus 10-15 U may be given
(0.15 U/Kg as bolus)
ICU dose = 0.1 U / kg / Hr of R insulin
Syringe pump: 50 ml saline + 7 Units /h =
10-15 Drops / min
20. INSULIN
Another method, if ICU is not yet available:
Bolus dose of R insulin= 0.3 U / Kg (½ of it IV & ½
IM)
{for a 70 kg man: 10 U IV and 10 U IM}
Then 0.1 U/Kg/Hr
{for a 70 kg man: 7 U/Hr OR 15 U / 2 Hs) IM
Until disappearance of acetone from urine
21. INSULIN
Then, after resolution of DKA :
Obtain blood Glucose every 4
hours and get the sliding scale of R
Insulin SC in 5 in 5 units increments for
every 50 mg blood glucose above 150 mg;
to a max. of 20 U
Overlap of IV and SC routes of R insulin may be
done for 1-2 hours to avoid return of ketosis
22. INSULIN
Rate of fall of Bl glucose should 50 - 80
mg/dl/1st Hr
If this doesn’t occurs, you can double infusion
rate(if in ICU), OR you can give 10 U/Hr IV(In
case ICU not available)
The serum glucose level is better not to be
allowed to fall to < 220 mg % during the first 4-
5 Hs of ttt
24. POTASSIUM
Initially, best to wait for results of admission of
S. K+ levels
Generally if anuria is present, hold off K+ until
urine flow is established
Check for signs of Hypokalemia:
Ileus
Hyporeflexia
Muscle weakness, cramps
Abnormal ECG: low T, or appearance of U wave
25. POTASSIUM
If Serum K+ = 3.3 – 5.5 mEq/l
Add 20 - 30 mEq K Cl / 6 Hs {or roughly for
every one liter of IV Fluids}
Usually 80-160 mEq is given in 1st 12 hours in adults
If Serum K+ <3.3 mEq/L
Hold Insulin
Give 40 mEq K Cl / Hr; until K+ level reach 3.3
26. POTASSIUM
If Serum K+ 5.5 mEq/L
Don’t give K+ supplementation
Only Check level / 2 Hrs
Oral K+ supplementation is continued later on;
because total body losses may reach up to 500 mEq / l
{ average urinary K+ loss of 3 - 7 mEq / kg occurs for Ds – Wks}
28. BICARBONATE
HCO3 infusion is NOT needed in every case;
because it can provoke ↓K+ and shift of O2-Hb
dissociation curve to LEFT, impairing O2 delivery to
Ts
HCO3 infusion is given Only if:
Arterial ph < 7.0, or
S. HCO3 < 8 mEq/l, or
There is hyperventilation
29. BICARBONATE
Why it is unnecessary to correct pH if 7 with
HCO3 infusion ?
It’s known that insulin will suppress lipolysis-->
↓FFAs delivered to the liver, thus --> blocking
ketogenesis
The remaining ketoacids are cleared &/or oxidized,
thus --> regeneration of S. HCO3
30. BICARBONATE
50-100 mEq of HCO3 are infused over 2 Hs
pH 6.9 --> give 44 mEq (1 amp) over 1 H
ph < 6.9 --> give 88 mEq (2 amp) over 2 Hs
Until ph 7.0
Both: S. HCO3 and S. K+ should be checked
ever 4 hours until stability
32. PHOSPHATE / MAGNESIUM / CALCIUM
N= 2.5-4.5 mg/dl
Initially PO4 levels are high(shift from ICF),
then it drops during ttt to < 1 mg/dl with
potential life threatening risk
Manifestations of critical hypophosphatemia:
Respiratory and skeletal muscle weakness
Hemolytic Anemia
Shift of O2-Hb dissociation curve to LEFT
TTT: Give 1/3 of K+ supplements as K PO4
The remaining 2/3 as K Cl
33. PHOSPHATE / MAGNESIUM / CALCIUM
N Ca+ = 4.4 - 5.2 mg/dl
N Mg+ = 1.7 – 2.2 mg/dl
Hypomagnesemia usually occurs due to
intracellular shift (with K+ & Ph) following
insulin ttt
Hypercalcemia may be found in DKA (due to
increase Ca + efflux from bone as a result of
metabolic acidosis)
Give calcium (if low) and magnesium
supplementation to compensate for their loss
34. Electrolyte disturbance
Heart failure due to:
fluid overload
acidosis (causing myocardiac depression)
Shock due to:
a. Volume depletion
b. Acidosis
c. MI
d. Septicemia
KEEP AN EYE ON:
35. Acute gastric dilatation or erosive gastritis
Paralytic Ileus
Cerebral edema (suspect if initial
improvement occurs then patient
deteriorates); Causes:
a. Rapid fall of glucose (decrease of blood glucose
should be by no more than 50-80 mg/dl/hour)
b. Rapid infusion of IV fluid
c. Too much HCO3
d. Hyponatremia
KEEP AN EYE ON:
36. ARDS with hypoxemia in the absence of
pneumonia or chronic pulmonary or heart
disease, due to rapid ↓↓colloid osmotic pressure
↑lung water with ↓of its compliance
Disequilibrium (13%), esp. in children,
due to correction with Hypotonic Solutions
KEEP AN EYE ON:
38. Associated lactic acidosis (due to
hypoperfusion)
Increased anion gap, due to the
metabolic acidosis (N= 8-12 mEq/l)
Anion Gap = Na – { Cl + HCO3} =
134 - { 108 +16 } = 10
KEEP AN EYE ON: