E151: Know Your Labs! - Diagnosing DKA using Beta-Hydroxybutyrate

Diabetic ketoacidosis patients can be very sick and challenging. There are multiple diagnostic indicators used in diagnosing and treating DKA patients. One standard test used is the urine and/or serum ketone test. This can be inaccurate and does not always give the provider the true story when evaluating an improving or declining clinical picture. However, the earliest ketone body formed during fatty acid breakdown is beta-hydroxybutyrate. This isn't a new lab, but a lab that has become more available in the emergency department. Join me for this quick podcast on this great tool assisting in the overall diagnosis of the diabetic ketoacidosis patient. You don't want to miss this one! Last, we couldn’t make this podcast without you. Please rate, and review wherever you download the podcast. Thanks for listening!