Sober living
Alcoholic Ketoacidosis: Signs, Symptoms, and Treatment The Recovery Village Columbus Drug and Alcohol Rehab
Alcoholic ketoacidosis often presents with a distinct fruity smell in the breath. This odor, known as the ketone odor, results from the accumulation of ketone bodies in your bloodstream. The presence of this alcoholic ketoacidosis smell smell in the breath of a person with a chronic alcohol use disorder could be a sign of alcoholic ketoacidosis.
Understanding Alcohol Use Disorder
The low glucose stores combined with lack of food intake cause low blood glucose levels. Without insulin, most cells cannot get energy from the glucose that is in the blood. Cells still need energy to survive, so they switch to a back-up mechanism to obtain energy. Ketones provide some energy to cells but also make the blood too acidic (ketoacidosis).
- It most often occurs in a malnourished person who drinks large amounts of alcohol every day.
- Your prognosis will be impacted by the severity of your alcohol use and whether or not you have liver disease.
- The primary goal is to restore your body’s electrolyte levels, such as potassium, magnesium, and phosphorus.
- It’s best to get to the emergency room since it is treated with insulin and fluids usually through an IV in the hospital.
- You can learn how to reduce your alcohol intake or eliminate it altogether.
Symptoms of Alcoholic Ketoacidosis
Magnesium and phosphate levels should be measured and repleted if the serum levels are found low. Alcoholic ketoacidosis (AKA) is a condition seen commonly in patients with alcohol use disorder or after a bout of heavy drinking. It is a clinical diagnosis with patients presenting with tachycardia, tachypnea, dehydration, agitation, and abdominal pain. This activity illustrates the evaluation and treatment of alcoholic ketoacidosis and explains the role of the interprofessional team in managing patients with this condition.
There is no exact amount of alcohol that leads to alcoholic ketoacidosis. The patient should have blood glucose checked on the initial presentation. The next important step in the management of AKA is to give isotonic fluid resuscitation.
Some of the most prevalent neurological symptoms of alcoholic ketoacidosis are confusion and agitation. These symptoms may vary in intensity and could lead to decreased alertness or even coma in severe cases. It most often occurs in a malnourished person who drinks large amounts of alcohol every day. If a person’s ketone levels are high, they should seek immediate medical treatment.
This impairment may present with memory loss, personality changes, or a general decline in cognitive abilities. If you or a loved one experience any of these neurological symptoms after heavy alcohol consumption, it is crucial to seek medical attention. Your breath smell can indicate a lot more than when you last brushed your teeth. For example, breath that has a fruity or acetone-like scent may be a sign of ketosis from your diet, excessive alcohol intake, or liver disease. The long-term outlook for recovery following alcoholic ketoacidosis depends on various factors, including your overall health, the extent of organ damage, and your average alcohol intake.
Plasma glucose levels are usually low or normal, but mild hyperglycemia sometimes occurs. Alcoholic ketoacidosis (AKA) is a serious condition that arises from excessive alcohol consumption, particularly among individuals with a history of alcohol use disorder. This condition involves the accumulation of ketones in the bloodstream due to insufficient glucose for energy, leading to high anion gap metabolic acidosis.
Who is at risk?
If you have diabetes and smell acetone on your breath, make sure to follow your doctor’s treatment plan. Most of the time, this means taking insulin, a medicine to control your blood sugar and stop ketosis from happening. As this happens, the liver releases ketones, including acetone, as byproducts. If the breath of a person with diabetes smells of acetone, this suggests that there are high levels of ketones in their blood. If you have fruity breath along with more serious symptoms like excessive thirst, vomiting, or change in alertness, seek immediate medical attention, especially if you have diabetes.
If a person follows a ketogenic diet to lose weight, they may have a slight smell of acetone on their breath. Contact a Recovery Advocate today to take the first step toward living an alcohol-free life. In some cases, fruity breath has causes that are not related to ketones.
In severe cases, individuals with AKA may be admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) to ensure comprehensive treatment. Alcoholic ketoacidosis is also commonly accompanied by the symptoms of dehydration, which include feeling thirsty, weak, dizzy, and lightheaded. If you were to ignore your symptoms, though, you could end up with a life-threatening condition like a heart attack or seizure, or a differential diagnosis.
Levels of Care
Profound dehydration can culminate in circulatory collapse and/or lactic acidosis. The metabolism of alcohol itself is a probable contributor to the ketotic state. Alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH), a cytosolic enzyme, metabolizes alcohol to acetaldehyde in hepatocytes. Acetaldehyde is metabolized further to acetic acid by aldehyde dehydrogenase. Both steps require the reduction of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) to reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH).
