Acute complications of diabetes and the gastrointestinal tract

Acute metabolic decompensation of diabetes, hypoglycemia and gastrointestinal tract disease are often connected. Hyperglycemic crisis can be induced by an infectious disease of the gastrointestinal tract, ulcerative disease, gall bladder disease, pancreas disease, and gastrointestinal tract tumours. It can result from diabetic visceral neuropathy manifested especially by impaired patency of the gastrointestinal tract. Metabolic decompensation of diabetes is often accompanied by gastrointestinal symptoms and abnormal laboratory findings. Some of them (especially abdominal pain and increased levels of amylases in serum) can evoke diagnostic and therapeutic hesitation. Insufficient nutrition as a result of gastrointestinal tract disease or adverse reaction to drugs used for its treatment can induce both metabolic decompensation and hypoglycemia.