Alcoholic Ketoacidosis: Signs, Symptoms, & Treatment

An alcoholic ketoacidosis episode causes the body to produce ketones in response to the lack of nutrition it’s receiving. Ketones are acidic chemicals the body produces and uses as an energy source when there’s a lack of glucose. Alcohol prevents the body from making glucose; therefore, drinking increases the natural production of ketones.

Meetings are widely available at little-to-no cost in most communities. Support groups can be a valuable source of support and can be combined with medication and therapy. If you were to ignore your symptoms, though, you could end up with a life-threatening condition like a heart attack or seizure. The AlcoholicsAnonymous.com helpline is free, private, and confidential. We do not receive any commission or fee that is dependent upon which treatment provider a caller chooses.

Symptoms

The alcoholic ketoacidosis smell is like acetone or nail polish remover, noticeable when someone exhales ketone molecules. The diabetic form of ketoacidosis may have a sweet and fruity smell rather than one like acetone. Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) is a term used by mental health professionals to diagnose individuals with more severe alcohol problems. AUD indicates more severe functional impairments that result from excessive drinking. Of note in the table above, the patient’s INR was greater than 11, above the upper limit of the assay, and this was confirmed by repeating the test. It most often occurs in a malnourished person who drinks large amounts of alcohol every day.

Alcohol withdrawal, in combination with nausea and vomiting, makes most patients agitated. However, if an AKA patient is lethargic or comatose, an alternative cause should be sought. During your stay, your doctor may run multiple blood tests to see how your levels are changing.

What Are the Symptoms of Alcoholic Ketoacidosis?

Alcoholism is a serious, prevalent problem that can have severe consequences. If someone continues to drink, they only increase the risk of having an alcoholic ketoacidosis episode. The long-term outlook alcoholic ketoacidosis symptoms for recovery following alcoholic ketoacidosis depends on your overall health and average alcohol intake. For instance, if you’re also suffering from liver disease, the prognosis won’t be as positive.

Some believe it is a condition that happens gradually over time if you are a chronic drinker. However, you can develop alcoholic ketoacidosis after just one binge-drinking episode. Alcoholic ketoacidosis (AKA) is characterized by excess ketones in the blood following a period of heavy drinking without enough food. A person suffering from AKA could experience severe liver, heart, and brain damage due to increased acidity in the blood. These are examples of when calculating alcohol consumption isn’t always straightforward.

Journal of the American College of Emergency Physicians

If the vomiting and starvation go on for a day or more, the liver’s normal stores of sugar (glucose) decrease. 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 https://ecosoberhouse.com/article/5-reasons-sobriety-tattoos-are-a-terrible-idea/ is in the blood. Cells still need energy to survive, so they switch to a back-up mechanism to obtain energy. Fat cells begin breaking down, producing compounds called ketones. Ketones provide some energy to cells but also make the blood too acidic (ketoacidosis).

Acetyl coenzyme A is metabolized to the ketoacids, β-hydroxybutyrate (βHB) and acetoacetate. The prognosis for alcoholic ketoacidosis is good as long as it’s treated early. However, the long-term prognosis depends on the severity of the underlying alcohol abuse disorder.