Diabetic Ketoacidosis: A Case-Based Clinical Discussion

This case-based webinar will provide a practical approach to recognizing and managing **Diabetic Ketoacidosis (DKA)** in clinical practice. It will cover key diagnostic criteria, assessment of severity, identification of precipitating factors, and interpretation of relevant laboratory findings....

• A nineteen-year-old male with a five-year history of type one diabetes presented to the emergency department with two days of nausea, vomiting, and epigastric pain following the omission of his insulin regimen. Physical examination revealed mild dehydration but stable hemodynamics. Initial laboratory evaluation demonstrated a blood glucose of 21.5 millimoles per liter, a high anion gap metabolic acidosis on venous blood gas with a pH of 7.19 and bicarbonate of 13 millimoles per liter, and four-plus ketonuria. Serum potassium was 4.9 millimoles per liter. Electrocardiogram and chest radiography were unremarkable, confirming moderate diabetic ketoacidosis precipitated by insulin non-adherence. Because the patient lacked critical criteria such as severe hypotension, profound acidemia below pH 7.0, or altered mental status, management was initiated on the general medical ward.