Diabetic ketoacidosis
If you've been diagnosed with diabetes, it's very important that you follow all recommendations regarding diet, medication, insulin therapy and self-testing to help prevent diabetic ketoacidosis.
You should also take extra precautions while you're ill, because illness can cause your blood sugar level to rise or fall to dangerous levels.
If you need to take insulin to control your diabetes, you should have previously received instructions about looking after yourself when you're ill known as your "sick day rules". Contact your diabetes care team or GP for adviceif you haven't received these.
The advice you're given will be specific to you, but some general measures that your sick day rules may include could be to:
Seek advice from your diabetes care team or GP if your blood sugar and/or ketone level remains high after taking insulin, if you're not surewhether to make any changes to your treatment, if you develop symptoms of diabetic ketoacidosis, or if you have any other concerns.
Simple finger prick blood test devices can be used to monitor your blood glucose levels.
Your diabetes care team should advise you about the level you should aim for and when you need to adjust your treatment or seek medical advice, but generally a reading of 11 mmol/l or more is a sign that you're at risk of diabetic ketoacidosis and should check your ketone level if you feel ill.
Ketone levels can be checked using urine test strips available on prescription, although it can take a few hours for ketones to show up in your urine. Many newer blood glucose monitors are also able to monitor blood ketone levels more quickly. Your diabetes care team will be able to provide you with more information on this.
Again, you should be advised about what a dangerous level of ketones is, but generally a reading of 2+ or more on urine strips or 0.6mmol/l or morein your blood is a sign that you're at risk of diabetic ketoacidosis.
Contact your diabetescare teamor GPimmediately if you have persistently high or rising blood sugar and ketone levels. Go toyour nearestaccident and emergency (A&E) department if you develop severe symptoms of diabetic ketoacidosis.
Diabetic ketoacidosis is a serious complication of diabetes, caused by a lack of insulin in the body. Find out how to spot it, how it's treated, and how you can prevent it.
Read about the main signs and symptoms of diabetic ketoacidosis, and find out when you should seek medical advice.
Find out why diabetic ketoacidosis develops and what commonly triggers the condition.
Diabetic ketoacidosis is usually treated in hospital. Find out more about the treatment you may receive.
With prompt treatment, diabetic ketoacidosis can be corrected without any complications developing. If left untreated, the condition can be life-threatening.
If you've been diagnosed with diabetes, it's very important that you follow all recommendations regarding diet, medication, insulin therapy and self-testing to help prevent diabetic ketoacidosis.