👤 By the CinnaRN Clinical Content Team🕐 Updated 2026-08-31🏷️ Physiological Adaptation🔖 Free to read, print, and share
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Use this quick-reference guide to spot, treat, and prevent Hiatal Hernia vs Dumping Syndrome on the NCLEX. Keep it handy during review and on exam day!
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📒 The 1-minute cheat sheet
📌 Hiatal Hernia — Keep It High
High head of bed, upright to eat
High fluids, high carbohydrate
Small frequent meals, nothing 3 hours before bed
Protein stays LOW
📌 Dumping — Keep It Low And Slow
Lie down after eating, head low
Low fluids with meals — take them 1-2 hours either side
Low carbohydrate
Protein stays HIGH
🩺 The Symptoms
Hiatal: heartburn, regurgitation when lying down
Dumping: cramping, diarrhoea, palpitations, dizziness 15-30 min after eating
Late dumping: hypoglycaemia 1-3 hours after
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Quick Tip
Focus on the highlighted numbers and the red-flag items — those are what the NCLEX tests most on hiatal hernia vs dumping syndrome.