Abstract

HERNANDEZ-RUIZ, Eder A; CASTRILLON-ESTRADA, Jaime A; ACOSTA-VELEZ, Juan G  and  CASTRILLON-ESTRADA, David F. Diabetes Mellitus in the emergency room: Handling acute complications in adults. Salud, Barranquilla [online]. 2008, vol.24, n.2, pp.273-293. ISSN 0120-5552.

Diabetes Mellitus (DM) is a high prevalence disease, recognized as a public health problem because of its high morbidity and mortality rates. Some studies have expose that the lack of adherence to treatment is one of the main triggers for acute complications in diabetic patients. Those complications are the acute hyperglycemic crises, which are two clinical entities: Diabetic Ketoacidosis (DKA) and the Hyperglycemic Hyperosmolar State (HHS), which are potentially fatal metabolic complications in the short term and which can be found overlapping. They have established some specific diagnostic criteria in order to perform a correct differential diagnosis, which allows proper treatment, however, morbidity and mortality remain significantly high. Hypoglycemia is also a medical emergency, which if not treated on time, can cause permanent neurological damage and even death. That's why it is important to create clear guidelines to treat these complications, in all services, in order to provide emergency medical care. New researchs have been developed to find new diagnostic and therapeutic's strategies would allow a more integrated management of the DM and its complications, for the sake of improving patients' life quality.

Keywords : Diabetes Mellitus; Diabetic Ketoacidosis; Hyperglycemic Hyperosmolar State; Hypoglycemia.

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