title: Severe ketoacidosis as the first manifestation of diabetes mellitus after age fifty.
abstract: Two women over the age of 50 years presented with ketoacidosis as the first manifestation of diabetes mellitus. The first patient failed to respond to a regimen of hourly intramuscular injections of regular insulin. She only improved when a continuous intravenous infusion of regular insulin was utilized. The second patient was treated with a continuous infusion of insulin for a prolonged period. Her course was uneventful. It is recommended that a regimen of continuous infusion of regular insulin be the treatment of choice in the management of older patients presenting with ketoacidosis at the time of diagnosis of diabetes mellitus.
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Peter
mesh_terms: D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000175:diagnosis*; D016883:Diabetic Ketoacidosis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D008875:Middle Aged