Final answer:
Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) involves increased levels of ketone bodies due to the body's use of fat for energy when there is insufficient insulin or insulin resistance, leading to acidic blood conditions.
Step-by-step explanation:
When patients present with diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), they often have increased levels of ketone bodies attempting to increase the glucose level because the insulin level is not sufficient for the body's cells to take up glucose and use it for energy. These ketone bodies are produced as a result of fat metabolism when the body shifts to using fat for energy instead of glucose due to insufficient insulin or insulin resistance. In diabetes mellitus, with a shortage of insulin as seen in type I diabetes or due to insulin resistance as in type II diabetes, glucose accumulates in the blood while cells are deprived of it. Consequently, the cells resort to burning fat, leading to an excessive production of ketone bodies, namely acetoacetic acid, beta-hydroxybutyric acid, and acetone, which contributes to the acidic condition of the blood known as ketoacidosis.