Diabetic Coma

THOUGH there have been many articles on the therapy of diabetic coma, few have reviewed the available data pertaining to the etiology and quantitative definition of the extracellular and intracellular losses sustained by patients suffering the starvation and dehydration of coma. Such a review together with a discussion of the implications of these losses to parenteral therapy is the principal purpose of this communication.Endocrine FactorsInability to utilize glucose to satisfy energy requirements is the primary cause of the metabolic disturbances that result in the losses sustained by the patient in diabetic coma. That deficiency of insulin results in . . .