Viral Gastroenteritis, Diabetes, and Kussmaul Breathing

[MB2011]

Hello,

 

There is no information in our textbook about this question, so I was wondering if anyone could help me answer it:

 

The patient is a 28-year-old female with insulin-dependent diabetes. She developed viral gastroenteritis with nausea and vomiting. She did not take her insulin and she became increasingly nonresponsive. Her husband called 911 and she was taken to the emergency room. Her pulse rate was 128 and her respiratory rate was 28, deep, and smelled fruity (Kussmaul breathing). Her urinary glucose and ketone levels were both 4+. Her pH was dangerously low. Explain how the body attempted to compensate for the low serum pH.

 

TIA

Edited November 1, 2011 by MB2011

[iNow]

Lookup information on diabetic ketoacidosis. Even the wikipedia should help you to answer this homework question.

[Psycho]

Have you even tried to answer it, I found the answer quicker than I could have typed that out.

[MB2011]

Have you even tried to answer it, I found the answer quicker than I could have typed that out.

Great. Link please?

 

Lookup information on diabetic ketoacidosis. Even the wikipedia should help you to answer this homework question.

I think this answers the question:

 

The ketone bodies, however, have a low pH and therefore turn the blood acidic (metabolic acidosis). The body initially buffers the change with the bicarbonate buffering system, but this system is quickly overwhelmed and other mechanisms must work to compensate for the acidosis. One such mechanism is hyperventilation to lower the blood carbon dioxide levels (a form of compensatory respiratory alkalosis). This hyperventilation, in its extreme form, may be observed as Kussmaul respiration.

 

What do you think?

[iNow]

It looks good to me, but then again... I'm not the one who posed the question to you.

Edited November 2, 2011 by iNow

[ewmon]

The ketone bodies, however, have a low pH and therefore turn the blood acidic (metabolic acidosis). The body initially buffers the change with the bicarbonate buffering system, but this system is quickly overwhelmed and other mechanisms must work to compensate for the acidosis. One such mechanism is hyperventilation to lower the blood carbon dioxide levels (a form of compensatory respiratory alkalosis). This hyperventilation, in its extreme form, may be observed as Kussmaul respiration.

What do you think?

I think that's not the complete/correct answer (OP said: "Her pH was dangerously low.").

How does the body react to extreme serum pH? (Slight hint: Her pulse rate is 128.)

[ewmon]

I think that's not the complete/correct answer (OP said: "Her pH was dangerously low.").

How does the body react to extreme serum pH? (Slight hint: Her pulse rate is 128.)

 

I hinted about her high pulse rate because the kidneys extracting acidic ions can cause hypovolemic shock, which in turn, can cause the high pulse rate.