Investigations and Bedside Tests

Initial bedside tests include:

• Capillary blood glucose
• Blood gases to determine pH, bicarbonate and potassium
• Urine dipstick for ketones and urinalysis
• ECG to investigate the possibility of a myocardial infarction, which may be silent

Learning bite

There is no need to take arterial blood routinely in suspected DKA. Venous blood can be used, as the mean difference between arterial and venous pH is 0.03. Arterial sampling should only be undertaken if there is a concern that there is respiratory failure [19-21].