Diabetic Ketoacidosis Explained. The Pathophysiology of DKA.

Kia ora team,
Let's discuss the pathophysiology of type 1 diabetes mellitus and diabetic ketoacidosis.
Type 1 diabetes
-A person is born with a genetic susceptibility to type 1 diabetes
-They undergo a triggering event (eg. infection)
-An autoimmune response causes the destruction of beta cells of the islets of Langerhan in the pancreas
-Therefore they now lack the ability to create insulin (type 1 diabetes)
Diabetic ketoacidosis
-If there is a lack of insulin, glucose can not enter the cell
-Gluconeogenesis is stimulated
-Which is the creation of glucose from non carbohydrate sources
-Glycogenolysis - breakdown of glycogen (stored glucose) also occurs
-This increases blood glucose / hyperglycaemia
-The breakdown of fat occurs (lipolysis)
-However, fat burns in a carbohydrate flame so incomplete catabolism of fat occurs due to no glucose being able to enter the cell.
-Therefore ketones are produced
-Ketones are acidic therefore, metabolic acidosis occurs
Happy studying