Which of the following is an acute complication of diabetes?

• A. Hypertension
• B. Retinopathy
• C. Chronic kidney disease
• D. Metabolic crises

Answer: (D)

Acute complications are those that appear suddenly and can rapidly threaten life, demanding urgent treatment. Metabolic crises fit this pattern because they revolve around a sudden and severe disturbance in insulin availability, leading to very high blood glucose, dehydration, electrolyte imbalances, and acidosis. Diabetic ketoacidosis and hyperosmolar hyperglycemic state are the classic examples, and they can progress quickly to life-threatening conditions if not managed promptly with fluids, insulin, and electrolyte correction.

In contrast, hypertension is a common long-standing condition often linked with diabetes but not an abrupt complication. Retinopathy and chronic kidney disease develop over years of poor glycemic control as part of long-term microvascular damage, not as sudden emergencies. So the acute, emergency-type problem described here is the metabolic crisis.