Thirst Distress in Patients with Heart Failure

BACKGROUND/AIMS: This study aimed to determine the prevalence of thirst distress and its predictors in patients with heart failure (HF). MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study was conducted between April 1, 2024, and July 15, 2025, and included 281 patients hospitalized in the cardiology wards of a training and research hospital in İstanbul, Türkiye. RESULTS: Thirst distress was severe in 26.69% of patients, high in 31.67%, moderate in 30.25%, mild in 8.19%, and absent in 3.2%. The mean thirst distress scale score was 26.15±8.07, and the mean visual analog scale (VAS) thirst severity score was 5.53±2.30. Thirst was experienced almost daily by 34.16% of patients and several days per week by 28.47% of patients. 40.21% of patients reported feeling thirsty for one hour or less. The mean thirst distress scores were 29.48±7.35 for the New York Heart Association (NYHA) IV, 27.38±7.25 for NYHA III, 24.52±8.21 for NYHA II, and 22.11±10.29 for NYHA I patients. A strong positive correlation was observed between thirst-distress scores and VAS. Multiple regression analysis identified longer duration since HF diagnosis, the presence of diabetes and hypertension, and NYHA class III-IV as statistically significant positive predictors of thirst distress. These variables explained 10.2% of the total variance in thirst distress (adjusted R²=0.102). CONCLUSION: Thirst distress is highly prevalent in patients with HF. Longer duration since HF diagnosis, comorbid diabetes and hypertension, and higher NYHA class were predictors of thirst distress.