Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) is one of the most serious, acute complications of diabetes. It occurs when excessive amounts of ketones are released into the bloodstream, mainly as a result of the body breaking down lipids instead of utilising glucose as the energy source, due to lack of insulin or insulin effectiveness.
DKA is typically associated with type 1 diabetes and remains one of the major causes of death in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes. However, it also occurs in people with type 2 diabetes. This module is designed to help you understand the pathogenesis of DKA and how to diagnose this life-threatening metabolic crisis.
By the end of this module, you will be able to:
✓ Explain the epidemiology and pathophysiology of diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA)
✓ Explain the precipitating factors and clinical presentation of DKA
✓ Assess typical patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes in order to diagnose DKA, including euglycaemic DKA
This module includes self-marked assessments, such as knowledge checks and/or case studies, as well as a marked final assessment, which you can attempt up to five times. To complete the module, you must review all chapters, pass the final assessment (80% pass mark), and fill in our feedback form.