DKA kills within hours if untreated. At Gini, DKA survival is 98% — 13 percentage points above the national average. The reason: the right endocrinologist available within the hospital, not on-call from outside.
📍 Sector 69, SAS Nagar (Mohali), Punjab · Serving Chandigarh Tri-City
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In diabetic ketoacidosis, the body cannot use glucose for energy because insulin is missing or no longer working. The body switches to burning fat instead, which produces ketones. Ketones are acids. As ketones accumulate, the blood becomes acidic, electrolytes fall to dangerous levels, and the body becomes severely dehydrated.
Untreated DKA progresses through dehydration → coma → cerebral oedema → death. The timeline is hours, not days.
DKA can affect anyone with diabetes — Type 1 most commonly, but also Type 2 in certain triggers (sepsis, surgery, heart attack, stopping insulin, severe infection).
Get to hospital immediately if a diabetic patient has any of:
National average DKA mortality in India: 12–15%. Gini's mortality: ~2%. The reason isn't equipment or protocols (those are similar in any reasonable ICU). It's endocrinology availability.
At most hospitals, DKA is managed by an emergency physician or general intensivist with the endocrinologist on call from outside. Decisions about insulin rate, fluid composition, electrolyte replacement, and timing of transition from IV to subcutaneous insulin are made without an endocrinology specialist physically reviewing the patient.
At Gini, Dr. Anil Bhansali — former Head of Endocrinology at PGIMER — is available within the hospital. Severe DKA cases get an endocrinologist's direct review, not a phone consultation. The decision-making in the first 6 hours is the difference between 98% and 85%.
0–15 minutes: Triage, IV access, blood gas (ABG), bedside glucose, electrolytes, ketones. Diagnosis confirmed.
15–60 minutes: Aggressive IV fluid resuscitation (typically normal saline), insulin drip started, potassium replacement initiated. Cardiac monitor on. Urinary catheter for output measurement.
1–6 hours: Hourly glucose checks, ABG repeated. Fluid composition adjusted (switching to dextrose-saline as glucose falls). Electrolytes maintained in safe range. Cause of DKA investigated (infection screen, pancreatitis screen, MI screen).
6–24 hours: Acidosis resolves. Patient stabilises. Transition planned from IV to subcutaneous insulin. Family update.
Day 2–3: Move to ward. Diabetes education. Discharge planning. Outpatient follow-up arranged with Dr. Bhansali to prevent recurrence.
Average DKA admission at Gini: ₹30,000–60,000 all-inclusive for a 2–3 day stay. Includes ICU bed, ventilator if needed, all medications, IV fluids, lab tests, specialist consultations, and meals.
Compare with Fortis or Max Mohali: typically ₹2–4 lakhs for the same DKA admission, primarily due to higher ICU per-day rates.
CGHS: Cashless. No referral needed for emergency. Inform our CGHS desk within 24 hours.
Insurance: Cashless under all 32+ partner insurers. Pre-authorisation initiated immediately on arrival for emergencies.
If you or a family member has Type 1 diabetes:
If you have Type 2 on SGLT2 inhibitors (empagliflozin, dapagliflozin, canagliflozin): be aware of euglycaemic DKA — ketoacidosis with normal blood sugar, often triggered by surgery, fasting, or low-carb diets.
For emergencies, call directly — every minute matters. For ICU enquiries or family member transfer, speak with our team.