Definition

1. Noun:
   • A coma that can develop in inadequately treated cases of diabetes mellitus: A serious, life-threatening state of unconsciousness resulting from severe complications of diabetes, such as extremely high blood sugar (hyperglycemia) or, less commonly, extremely low blood sugar (hypoglycemia).

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The patient was rushed to the hospital after slipping into a diabetic coma.
  • Proper management of insulin is crucial to prevent a diabetic coma.

Advanced Usage

• Medical Context: The term is used specifically in medical diagnostics and emergency care. It often refers to hyperosmolar hyperglycemic state (HHS) or diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), which are metabolic derangements leading to coma.
  • The emergency team worked to differentiate the cause of the diabetic coma, checking for ketones to rule out ketoacidosis.

Variants and Related Words

• Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) (n): A serious complication of diabetes characterized by high blood acids (ketones), often a precursor to a diabetic coma.
• Hyperosmolar hyperglycemic state (HHS) (n): A condition involving extremely high blood sugar without significant ketosis, which can lead to a diabetic coma.
• Hypoglycemic coma (n): A coma caused by severely low blood sugar, which is also a risk for people with diabetes.

Synonyms

• Hyperglycemic coma: A coma specifically due to critically high blood sugar levels.
• Diabetes-related coma: A more general term for coma associated with diabetes.

Related Phrases

• To fall into a diabetic coma: The common phrasing describing the onset of this condition.
  • Without his medication, he was at risk of falling into a diabetic coma.
• To be in a diabetic coma: The state of being unconscious due to this condition.
  • She remained in a diabetic coma for three days before showing signs of improvement.

Noun

1. coma that can develop in inadequately treated cases of diabetes mellitus