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Multiple Choice

Which of the following is a common sign of diabetic ketoacidosis?

In diabetic ketoacidosis, high blood glucose leads to osmotic diuresis, which causes the kidneys to spill glucose into the urine. Water follows the glucose, so the patient urinates frequently—polyuria. This is a key sign because it directly reflects the body's response to hyperglycemia and helps explain dehydration and thirst that often accompany DKA. Other options don’t fit as well: hypertension is not typical in DKA (dehydration tends to lower blood pressure), weight gain is unlikely (weight loss from fluid loss and catabolism is common), and hypoglycemia is not expected since glucose levels are usually elevated in DKA.

In diabetic ketoacidosis, high blood glucose leads to osmotic diuresis, which causes the kidneys to spill glucose into the urine. Water follows the glucose, so the patient urinates frequently—polyuria. This is a key sign because it directly reflects the body's response to hyperglycemia and helps explain dehydration and thirst that often accompany DKA. Other options don’t fit as well: hypertension is not typical in DKA (dehydration tends to lower blood pressure), weight gain is unlikely (weight loss from fluid loss and catabolism is common), and hypoglycemia is not expected since glucose levels are usually elevated in DKA.