* What is the mortality rate of diabetes insipidus?Even if untreated, DI does not cause death or reduce life expectancy unless the patient gets into a situation in which he or she cannot get an adequate supply of drinkable water. This can happen, for example, if the patient loses consciousness, is unable to talk or move about, or is stranded in the desert or ocean (sea water is undrinkable). Therefore, it is a good idea always to carry a medical alert bracelet or card and to take extra precautions to carry extra water as well as medication when traveling in areas in which either may be difficult to obtain.
where as diabetes mellitus can kill you fairly quickly with the damage it does untreated....
diabetes mellitus can cause the following untreated.... (listed the 2 most deadly)
- Diabetic ketoacidosis
Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) is an acute and dangerous complication that is always a
medical emergency. Lack of insulin causes the
liver to turn fat into
ketone bodies, a fuel mainly used by the brain. Elevated levels of ketone bodies in the blood decrease the blood's
pH, leading to most of the symptoms of DKA. On presentation at hospital, the patient in DKA is typically dehydrated and is breathing rapidly and deeply. Abdominal pain is common and may be severe. The level of consciousness is typically normal until late in the process, when lethargy may progress to coma. Ketoacidosis can become severe enough to cause
hypotension,
shock, and death. Prompt proper treatment usually results in full recovery, though death can result from inadequate or delayed treatment, or from complications. Ketoacidosis is much more common in type 1 diabetes than type 2.
- Nonketotic hyperosmolar coma
The
hyperosmolar nonketotic state (HNS) is an acute complication with many symptoms in common with DKA, but an entirely different cause and different treatment. In a person with very high blood glucose levels (usually considered to be above 300 mg/dl (16 mmol/l)), water is drawn out of cells into the blood by
osmosis and the kidneys dump glucose into the urine. This results in loss of water and an increase in blood
osmolality. If fluid is not replaced (by mouth or intravenously), the osmotic effect of high glucose levels combined with the loss of water will eventually lead to
dehydration. The body's cells become progressively dehydrated as water is taken from them and excreted. Electrolyte imbalances are also common and dangerous. As with DKA, urgent medical treatment is necessary, especially volume replacement. Lethargy may ultimately progress to a coma, which is more common in type 2 diabetes than type 1.