A soccer player that is a diabetic has been eating carbohydrates and sweets all day. When he comes to you, he complains of being thirst, and drowsy. You talk with him and notice he seems to be slightly confused and has fruity smell to his breath. What is condition and how would you treat it?

The condition is know as Diabetic Ketoacidosis and can be treated through insulin therapy and dietary supplements.

Explanation:

Diabetes occurs due to deficiency or absence of insulin or, rarely, to impairment of insulin activity ( insulin resistance) causing varying degrees of disruption of carbohydrate and fat metabolism. The clinical effects of diabetes includes:

--> Raised plasma glucose level,

--> glycosuria ( glucose in urine) and polyuria (excessive urination),and

--> ketoacidosis.

Because the soccer player is diabetic and has been eating sweet and carbohydrate all day long, the body seeks alternative way to provide energy ( breakdown of fat). Also increased breakdown of fat occurs in stressed conditions which results to excessive production of ketone bodies, which are weakly acidic.

Normal buffering systems maintain pH balance so long as the levels of ketone bodies are not excessive. KETOACIDOSIS occurs when the control of acid/ base balance is lost due to accumulation of ketone bodies. The common symptoms include:

--> confusion and

--> characteristic smell of acetone ( fruity or sweet smelling breath).

Treatment: An intravenous administration of insulin in usually given to reduce the ketone levels and a closely monitored meal plan is being followed.