Conditions and symptoms
What Is Diabetic Ketoacidosis (DKA)? Signs to Know
Diabetic ketoacidosis · say it: dy-uh-BET-ik kee-toh-as-ih-DOH-sisAlso written: DKA, diabetic ketosis
Short answer
Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) is a serious complication of diabetes where ketone acids build up in the blood. It is a medical emergency.
What it means
Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) happens when there is not enough insulin, so the body cannot use sugar for energy and breaks down fat instead, producing ketones that make the blood acidic. Signs include high blood sugar, great thirst, passing a lot of urine, nausea or vomiting, belly pain, fast deep breathing, a fruity smell on the breath, drowsiness and confusion. It is a medical emergency needing urgent hospital treatment.
DKA is most common in type 1 diabetes, and can be the first sign of it, but can also happen in type 2. Labels for SGLT2 inhibitor diabetes medicines warn about DKA that can occur even with near-normal blood sugar. Illness, missed insulin, surgery and fasting are common triggers. The warning is telling you to know your 'sick day rules', to check ketones if advised, and to seek urgent help early.
DKA is the diabetes-related form of ketoacidosis. It is different from hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), and from hyperosmolar hyperglycemic state, another high-sugar emergency more common in type 2 diabetes.
Where you may see it
- SGLT2 inhibitor and insulin labels
- Diabetes sick day guidance
- Emergency department records and discharge summaries
📄 How it looks on a report
Admitted with diabetic ketoacidosis precipitated by a urinary tract infection.
🙅 What it does not mean
- It is not the same as low blood sugar; DKA usually involves high sugar and ketones.
- It does not only happen in type 1 diabetes.
- Mild ketones on a low-carb diet are not DKA.
🗒️ Questions to ask your doctor
💊 Medicines whose labels mention “Diabetic ketoacidosis”
Plain-English explanations of each medicine, from its official FDA label.
- Dapagliflozin
a sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitor, a type of diabetes medicine
- Empagliflozin
a sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitor, a prescription medicine that works on sugar handling in the kidneys
- Glimepiride
a sulfonylurea, a type of oral medicine used to lower blood sugar in adults with type 2 diabetes
- Glipizide
a blood-sugar-lowering medicine of the sulfonylurea type
- Insulin Glargine
an insulin analog, a long-acting man-made insulin used to treat diabetes
- Metformin
a diabetes medicine of the biguanide type
- Pioglitazone
a diabetes medicine of the thiazolidinedione type
🔗 Read more from trusted sources
- “Diabetic ketoacidosis” on MedlinePlus ↗
US National Library of Medicine
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