Euglycemic Diabetic Ketoacidosis Secondary to Dapagliflozin Use: A Case Report

Sodium-glucose co-transporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitors are a novel class of oral antihyperglycemic agents. They are associated with rare cases of euglycemic diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), which presents a diagnostic challenge in the emergency department (ED) and potentially severe consequences if missed.

A 53-year-old man with type 2 diabetes mellitus and a recent Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery presented to the ED with nausea, vomiting, and generalized abdominal pain. His medications included dapagliflozin. Work-up revealed anion-gap acidosis, which prompted us to send serum ketone levels despite a blood glucose level of 9.8 mmol/L (162 mg/dL). The patient was ultimately diagnosed with euglycemic DKA. WHY SHOULD AN EMERGENCY PHYSICIAN BE AWARE OF THIS?: Patients on SGLT2 inhibitors may present in DKA despite having normal blood glucose levels. It is important for emergency physicians to be aware of this phenomenon in all SGLT2-inhibitor users, as a delay in the diagnosis of DKA can be life threatening.