What factors may predispose a client with type 1 diabetes to diabetic ketoacidotic coma?

Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) is a serious complication predominantly seen in individuals with type 1 diabetes, characterized by hyperglycemia, ketonemia, and metabolic acidosis. The correct response highlights that illness, infection, or noncompliance with insulin therapy are significant factors that can predispose a person to DKA.

When a person with type 1 diabetes is ill or infected, the body’s stress response typically leads to increased production of counter-regulatory hormones like cortisol and epinephrine. These hormones can elevate blood glucose levels while simultaneously inhibiting the action of insulin, which is crucial for glucose utilization. If insulin therapy is not properly adhered to or adjusted in response to stressors such as illness, this can result in insufficient insulin to combat the elevated glucose, leading to fat breakdown and eventually ketone production. This accumulation of ketones can precipitate ketoacidosis.

On the other hand, increased protein intake, overconsumption of fiber, and lack of physical activity, while they might have other effects on blood glucose management or general health, do not directly lead to the metabolic derangements seen in DKA in the same way that the factors outlined in the correct answer do. They do not induce the profound physiological changes associated