HOW DOES THE DKA HAPPEN?
Insulin, as noted before, helps sugar move from the blood to enter into muscles and cells of your body where it is needed for energy. When, however, your pancreas does not produce enough insulin or the insulin it produces is ineffective, sugar remains trapped in the blood and does not enter the cells. As a result, the body cells do not get energy and begin to starve. In such a situation, the body looks for another source of energy, which it finds in its stored fat reserves. The body burns this fat to get energy and, in this process, poisonous substances called ketones are produced that build up in the blood. High levels of ketones cause an abnormal increase of blood acids. The kidneys try to get rid of excess ketones through increased urination. Excretion of large amounts of urine, called diuresis, causes severe loss of water, sodium, potassium, and other nutrients. Loss of these nutrients may disturb your heart rhythm and impair the functions of other organs. Loss of fluids caused by
