Certified Diabetes Educator Practice Exam 2026 - Free Practice Questions and Study Resource.

The most common cause of ketosis in diabetic patients is closely related to the state of insulin deficiency, which typically occurs during episodes of infection. When a patient with diabetes experiences an infection, their body requires more insulin to manage the increased glucose production in response to stress hormones like cortisol and epinephrine. In the absence of adequate insulin, the body cannot utilize glucose effectively for energy, leading to the breakdown of fatty acids for fuel. This breakdown results in the production of ketones, which can accumulate and lead to ketosis.

While dehydration, starvation, and excessive carbohydrate intake can impact ketone production, they are not as directly associated with ketosis in the context of diabetes as infections. Dehydration may worsen kidney function and contribute to complications related to diabetes but is not a direct cause of ketosis itself. Starvation can induce ketosis by forcing the body to use fat for energy, but in diabetic patients, it is often overshadowed by the metabolic impacts of insufficient insulin during stress, such as an infection. Excessive carbohydrate intake typically does not lead to ketosis since it provides an abundance of glucose, which, in the presence of adequate insulin, can be used for energy instead of fatty acid metabolism.

Thus, the influence of infections on insulin needs and the resulting metabolic der