Abstract
Only 1 previous case has been reported of a patient successfully resuscitated after cardiac arrest for diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA). We report a second patient suffering cardiac arrest due to ketoacidosis who was also treated successfully. A 36-year-old woman had been healthy until she became thirsty on July 16, 2000. A general practitioner initially diagnosed her as having a cold on the evening of July 18. Dyspnea occurred at 5: 00 on July 19, and she was brought to our hospital by ambulance unconscious and with ventricular tachycardia. Cardiac arrest occurred, but she responded to cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Laboratory data was as follows: blood glucose, 2, 069 mg/dl;total ketone bodies, 11, 070μmol/l; pH, 6.8; HCO3, 3.8 mmol/l; and K, 7.0mmEg l findings of DKA. HbA1c was 6.6%, while GAD antibody was negative. A glucagonloading test showed that insulin secretion was severely reduced. Her diabetes was controlled by administration of 42 units day insulin. The clinical course suggested that our patient had fulminant type 1 diabetes. reat care is needed to recognize the occasional patient with type 1 diabetes among those with cold-like symptoms.
