Ketones and Diabetic Ketoacidosis | Knowing the Signs and Symptoms | JDRF

Recognizing, testing for, and effectively treating ketones and diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) are basic survival skills for everyone living with type 1 diabetes (T1D). JDRF shares the signs and symptoms of diabetic ketoacidosis and how to prevent it.

What is DKA?

Diabetic ketoacidosis, or DKA, happens when your body doesn’t have enough insulin to break down glucose for energy. As a result, your body turns to break down fat instead, which produces ketones. Ketones in turn make your blood more acidic, and the more ketones that build up in your body, the more dangerous the condition can become to the point of it being life-threatening.

Although knowing diabetic ketoacidosis symptoms is important for people with all diabetes types, DKA mostly affects people with type 1 diabetes.

Some of the most common risk factors for developing DKA as a type 1 diabetic include:
● Being undiagnosed or newly diagnosed and not receiving enough insulin
● Having a viral or bacterial illness
● Taking certain medications
● Undergoing severe trauma or stress

Some of the most common symptoms of diabetic ketoacidosis include:
● Frequent urination
● Extreme thirst
● High blood sugar
● Ketones in urine
● Nausea and vomiting
● Abdominal pain
● Confusion
● Fruity smelling breath
● Fatigue

To learn more about the signs and symptoms of diabetic ketoacidosis, visit: https://www.jdrf.org/t1d-resources/ab...

Testing for ketones is incredibly important due to the dangerous nature of diabetic ketoacidosis. Although detecting ketones in urine during pregnancy is normal, in most cases elevated ketone levels are a cause for concern.

Learn more about what ketone levels mean at https://www.jdrf.org/blog/2023/04/13/....

If you’ve recently experienced high blood sugar levels or are prediabetic and experience any symptoms associated with diabetic ketoacidosis, it’s vital that you test for and treat the increase in ketones immediately.

Learn more about high blood sugar, its symptoms, and causes at: https://www.jdrf.org/t1d-resources/ab...

Luckily, there are many ways you can check for ketones, including:
● Blood ketone meters
● Urine strips
● Monitoring your blood glucose levels and checking for DKA symptoms

If you’re interested in using a blood glucose monitor to keep track of your blood sugar levels and overall health, visit: https://www.jdrf.org/t1d-resources/da...

Very few people outside of those diagnosed with type 1 diabetes know what DKA is and how it is recognized in T1D patients. If left untreated, DKA can result in a loss of consciousness, coma, or even death.

Whether you are a person with T1D, know someone with diabetes, or simply want to educate yourself on the symptoms, causes, and effects of DKA, learning more about the condition is crucial. By educating yourself on the effects of DKA, you can potentially save the life of someone who has DKA and doesn’t know it.

On the frontier of building lasting type 1 diabetes awareness, JDRF looks to educate more people on the signs and dangers of DKA and how they can help someone experiencing those symptoms get help.

To learn more about our work in type 1 diabetes research and awareness building, visit https://www.jdrf.org/ today.

Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction
00:30 What Is DKA?
01:45 Who Is at Risk for DKA?
02:20 Common Symptoms of DKA
02:56 Testing for Ketones
03:25 Speaker's DKA Story