Las cetoacidosis no siempre son diabéticas

Alcoholic ketoacidosis presents with nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain in chronic alcoholics who drink a larger amount of alcohol than usual just before onset. Biochemically this condition is characterized by metabolic acidosis with a high anion gap, ketosis with a high ratio of B-hydroxybutyrate, and a glucose level that is low, normal or only slightly elevated. The main differential diagnosis is diabetic ketoacidosis. Treatment involves thiamine and carbohydrate replacement. Although the use of insulin is controversial, some patients, such as the one whose case we report, require insulin to correct hyperglycemia secondary to glucose overload.