Hyperglycemia and osmotic diuresis: - Polyuria, polydipsia, weight loss - Dry mucous membranes, poor skin turgor, sunken eyes - Tachycardia, hypotension, delayed capillary refill Acidosis: - Kussmaul respirations — deep, rapid, sighing breathing as the lungs blow off CO2 to compensate - Fruity or acetone breath odour - Nausea, vomiting, and diffuse abdominal pain (can mimic an acute abdomen) Neurological: - Fatigue and weakness progressing to drowsiness, confusion, and coma - Any decline in level of consciousness during treatment is a red flag for cerebral edema, not simply "improving slowly" Onset is typically hours to a day or two — considerably faster than the days-to-weeks onset of hyperosmolar hyperglycemic state. Clinical trajectory check Link new findings to the underlying process and the compensatory response that is succeeding or failing. Reassess objective trends such as perfusion, oxygenation, mental status, pain pattern, labs, and response to time-limited interventions so the next action reflects improvement or deterioration rather than a memorized label. For NCLEX-RN (Canada), items rarely announce the topic in the first sentence. Anchor to objective data, trajectory, and the safest next...