Step 1: Hemodialysis removes fluid by ultrafiltration. The most common acute (intradialytic) complication is hypotension, especially in patients with diabetes mellitus.
Step 2: The drop in blood pressure occurs because of excessive ultrafiltration with inadequate compensatory vascular refilling, impaired vasoactive or autonomic responses, osmolar shifts, and overzealous use of antihypertensive drugs.
Step 3: Muscle cramps and bleeding can occur with dialysis but are less frequent than hypotension. Dementia (dialysis dementia, an aluminium-related encephalopathy) is a chronic, now rare complication, not an acute one.
Step 4: Hence the single most common acute complication is hypotension, option a.