Alcoholic ketoacidosis: clinical and laboratory presentation, pathophysiology and treatment

Abstract

Alcoholic ketoacidosis is a common condition which occurs predominantly in chronic alcoholics. The usual picture is an interval of increased ethanol intake followed by one or more days of abdominal pain, vomiting, dehydration and a marked decrease in caloric intake. Acidosis is frequently as severe as in diabetic ketoacidosis, but the serum Acetest measurement of ketones may be negative or only slightly positive because of the predominance of beta-hydroxybutyrate compared with acetoacetate. Treatment with intravenous glucose and saline are the essentials of management. Insulin, bicarbonate and phosphate are usually not needed. The major cause of morbidity and mortality is not the acidosis but rather failure to adequately treat concurrent medical or surgical conditions.