A patient presents with increased respiratory rate, presence of ketones in the urine, and reports feeling thirsty. What is the MOST likely underlying physiological rationale for th... A patient presents with increased respiratory rate, presence of ketones in the urine, and reports feeling thirsty. What is the MOST likely underlying physiological rationale for these signs and symptoms?
Understand the Problem
The question describes a patient presenting with increased respiratory rate, ketones in urine, and thirst. It asks for the most likely underlying physiological reason for these symptoms. The question is testing your knowledge of common clinical presentations and underlying physiology, especially related to metabolic imbalances and endocrine disorders like diabetes.
Answer
The patient is most likely experiencing Diabetic Ketoacidosis (DKA).
The patient is likely experiencing Diabetic Ketoacidosis (DKA) due to a shortage of insulin, causing the body to burn fatty acids and produce ketones. This leads to increased respiratory rate (to expel excess carbon dioxide), ketonuria (ketones in urine), and polydipsia (excessive thirst) to combat dehydration.
Answer for screen readers
The patient is likely experiencing Diabetic Ketoacidosis (DKA) due to a shortage of insulin, causing the body to burn fatty acids and produce ketones. This leads to increased respiratory rate (to expel excess carbon dioxide), ketonuria (ketones in urine), and polydipsia (excessive thirst) to combat dehydration.
More Information
Diabetic Ketoacidosis (DKA) is a serious condition that can lead to a diabetic coma or even death.
Tips
A common mistake is to only consider one symptom instead of looking at the entire clinical picture. Always consider the co-occurrence of symptoms like increased respiratory rate, ketonuria, and thirst in the context of potential underlying conditions.
Sources
- Pediatric Diabetic Ketoacidosis - StatPearls - NCBI Bookshelf - ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Diabetic ketoacidosis - Wikipedia - en.wikipedia.org
- Ketonuria: Causes, Symptoms, Treatment, and More - WebMD - webmd.com
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