A case of diabetic ketoacidosis associated with synthetic cannabinoid use

Abstract

Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) is a life threatening emergency if not treated. Diabetic ketoacidosis is characterized by uncontrolled hyperglycemia, metabolic acidosis and ketonuria. The chemical structure of synthetic cannabinoids (SC) is quite different than that of the natural cannabis. The substances containing synthetic cannabinoid are generally referred to as “Spice” and “K2” in foreign countries and “Bonsai” or “Jamaica/GOLD” in Turkey. Its clinical effects may resemble natural marijuana intoxication, but it may also result in more serious life threatening symptoms. In this article, we report a 24-year-old male patient, who was diagnosed with DKA for metabolic acidosis and ketonuria, with the story of SC usage for a year and was admitted to the emergency service with the complaints of nausea, throwing up, fatigue, drinking too much water and excessive urination.