Hyperglycemic Crises in Adult Patients With Diabetes

Abstract

Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) is a state of severe diabetic decompensation characterized by uncontrolled hyperglycemia, ketosis, and acidemia. Until recently, the most widely used diagnostic criteria for DKA were a blood glucose >250 mg/dl, an arterial pH <7.30, serum bicarbonate <15 mEq/l, and moderate degree of ketonemia and/or ketonuria (1). Accumulation of ketoacids usually results in an increased anion gap metabolic acidosis. Although these criteria for DKA served well for research purposes, they were somewhat restrictive …