What are the classic symptoms of DKA?

• A. Rashes and itching.
• B. Weight gain, joint pain, brittle nails.
• C. Auditory hallucinations and tremors.
• D. Polyuria, polydipsia, polyphagia, fatigue, vision changes, slow wound healing, and recurrent infections.

Answer: (D)

DKA presents with symptoms driven by severe high blood glucose and dehydration from osmotic diuresis, plus the effects of insulin deficiency on cellular energy and metabolism. The combination listed—frequent urination (polyuria) due to glucose spilling into the urine, excessive thirst (polydipsia) from dehydration, increased hunger (polyphagia) from cells starved of usable glucose, fatigue from an energy deficit, vision changes from lens dehydration, and slower wound healing with a tendency toward infections from impaired immune function and persistent hyperglycemia—best fits the classic picture of DKA. Other options describe conditions or symptoms that don’t align with this metabolic crisis.