Prevalence

• hyperglycaemia (> 14 mmol/l)
• metabolic acidosis (pH < 7.35 or bicarbonate < 15 mmol/l)
• High anion gap (Anion gap = Na- + KHC0 ₃ ) ^c
• ketonaemia

Hyperglycaemic hyperosmolar nonketosis is different: ^d

• Blood glucose is higher (often > 33 mmol/l).
• No acidosis
• One plus ketonuria at the most on urine dipstick.
• Higher Na (often > 150 mmol/l)

DKA is relatively common ^b in patients with diabetes and is often recurrent ^b
Roughly one in seven patients with hyperglycaemia who feel unwell have diabetic ketoacidosis. ^c 
Up to a quarter of cases are patients with new-onset diabetes. ^c