Aim: Review of presentation, management and outcome of patients admitted\nwith Diabetic Ketoacidosis (DKA) to an emergency department short stay\nunit with expedited discharge. Methods: All admitted patients with a discharge\ndiagnosis of â??Diabetic Ketoacidosisâ?, were identified by the file auditing\nsection in the Emergency Department. Data obtained from the medical\nrecords were collected using an explicit chart review from January 2012 to\nJune 2013. Data included clinical monitoring, investigations performed, the\ntype and amount of intravenous fluids given, the insulin regime, potassium\nsupplementation and outcome. Results: Out of a total of 120 patients labelled\nas DKA or hyperglycaemia on arrival, hundred patients fulfilled the criteria\nfor DKA. In the population studied the mean age was 25 years with a male\npredominance. Eighty-two patients suffered from Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus\n(T1DM) whilst eighteen patients had Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM). Sixteen\npatients were newly diagnosed during the present admission. Seventy-six\n(76%) patients were on insulin. The insulin regimen and potassium supplementation\nwere followed as per protocol in all patients. All the patients except\none were given intravenous fluid according to protocol. Parameters were monitored\nadequately except fluid input and output monitoring. The median\nlength of stay in the short stay unit was 1.5833 days. There was no return visit\nwithin one week of discharge. Conclusion: The median length of stay was\nshort and there were no documented complications or deaths during the\nstay. There was poor compliance with documentation of fluid input and output.\nIn this population, the short stay model of care appeared to be safe and\nefficient.
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