NUR 229 Lecture Notes - Lecture 25: Metabolic Acidosis, Ketoacidosis, Hyperglycemia
Document Summary
Define: a complication of diabetes mellitus that is life-threatening, if not treated. It is due to the breakdown of fats which turn into ketones because there is no insulin present in the body to take glucose into the cell. Therefore, you will see hyperglycemia and ketosis and acidosis. Glucose: fuels the cells so it can function. However, with dka there is no insulin present to take the glucose into the cell so the glucose is not used and the patient will experience hyperglycemia >300 mg/dl. Insulin: helps take glucose into the cell so the body can use it for fuel. In dka, the body isn"t receiving enough insulin so the glucose can not enter into the cell. The glucose floats around in the blood and the body starts to think it is starving because it cannot get to the glucose.
