Hospitalizations for diabetic ketoacidosis--Washington State, 1987-1989.

Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) is an acute metabolic complication of diabetes mellitus that can be life threatening. Although DKA is often preventable, approximately 84,000 DKA-associated hospitalizations and 1800 DKA-associated deaths occurred in the United States during 1988. The Washington Department of Health (WDH) monitors DKA-associated hospitalizations to assist its chronic disease programs in preventing DKA-associated hospitalizations and deaths. This report summarizes surveillance of DKA hospitalizations among Washington state residents from 1987 through 1989.