Up to what percentage of enterally fed patients report nausea and/or vomiting?

• A. 10%
• B. 50%
• C. 26%
• D. 75%

Answer: (C)

Nausea and vomiting during enteral feeding are common signs of feeding intolerance. In real-world data, about a quarter to a third of patients receiving enteral nutrition report these symptoms, making that range the best representation of prevalence. The other options describe rates that are noticeably lower or higher than what most studies show, so they don’t fit as well. Remember that several factors can influence this prevalence—gastric emptying, the rate and composition of the feed, medications, and overall GI function—so nausea and vomiting are common enough to appear in a sizable minority, but not universal.