Heartbreak to Happiness: Striving to Improve Outcomes for the Patient in Diabetic Ketoacidosis

Abstract

Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) is an acute, major, life-threatening complication of diabetes that warrants prompt recognition and a multidisciplinary approach to provide intensive management and monitoring of both mother and fetus. DKA is estimated to occur in 1 to 2% of pregnancies complicated by preexisting diabetes, with 10 to 30% of women having a serum glucose less than 250 mg/dl upon diagnosis, and it poses a significant risk for the fetus, with perinatal mortality rates reported between 9% and 35%. Factors that increase the risk of DKA in pregnant patients include stress, trauma, infection, poor patient compliance, insulin pump failure, accidental omission of insulin, and medications utilized in the obstetric setting. It is crucial that nurses are familiar with the clinical signs of DKA so that prompt and appropriate treatment can be initiated to optimize outcomes for both the pregnant woman and her fetus. To better understand the signs and symptoms of DKA, an outline of the multisystem effects of a patient in DKA will be provided.