Medical terms and complicated diagnoses can feel confusing and just plain overwhelming. However, you only have one body and you need to take care of it. If you are being treated for type 2 diabetes, there several potential complications that you should be aware of. One of the biggest dangers is diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA). In this blog we’ll address what DKA is, underlying causes and triggers, common symptoms, and an FDA warning to prevent it.
We all know that our bodies need sugar to produce energy. However, when the cells in your body are unable to get the sugar they need because you aren’t producing enough insulin, your body starts to digest fat and muscle as fuel. This is where diabetic ketoacidosis comes in. DKA occurs when high levels of blood acids called ketones enter the bloodstream and this a serious condition that can lead to a diabetic coma or even death. The seriousness of DKA largely depends on how quickly you identify the symptoms, how healthy the patient is to begin with, and the underlying causes of the diabetic ketoacidosis.
Ketoacidosis has a few common causes including:
DKA is a serious condition and it is important to be aware of its warning signs.
Early signs of DKA may include:
Symptoms that follow could involve:
Invokana (canagliflozin) is made by Janssen Pharmaceuticals, a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson. This drug was put on the market in March 2013 and it works in a unique way as compared to previous type 2 diabetes drugs on the market. Invokana is a sodium-glucose transporter-2 (SGLT2) drug that causes the kidneys to release excess glucose through the urine. Unfortunately, this drug was not fully tested in large groups and is now causing severe injuries, including diabetic ketoacidosis. Doctors suspect that Invokana may affect the kidneys by causing them to reduce their capabilities of flushing acidic “ketones” out of the body.
The FDA published a Safety Announcement on May 15, 2015 warning the public that Invokana has been linked to ketoacidosis since countless doctors and patients filed complaints concerning these complications. If you are taking Invokana, it is important to know the warning signs of DKA so you can call your doctor immediately if you have concerns.
