Thirst in adult patients in the intensive care unit: A scoping review

Purpose

To review the literature on thirst in intensive care unit (ICU) patients and report potential causes, risk factors, diagnosis and measurement tools, as well as potential co-occurrence with other distressing symptoms, and the management of thirst in the ICU.

Design

A scoping review employing the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology.

Methods

PubMed, MEDLINE, EMBASE and CINAHL were searched from inception to April 2024. Any type of empirical study reporting thirst or associated xerostomia in adult patients (≥18 years) admitted to an ICU or high dependency unit for more than 24 h were included.

Results

The search yielded 907 unique records, and after evaluating 65 full-text publications, 21 studies were included. Thirst intensity was addressed most often (eleven studies), whereas the experience (or quality) of thirst and the validation of a measurement instrument, were addressed in only one study. Although co-occurrence of symptoms was addressed in four studies, only one pilot study looked into the interaction of thirst with other symptoms. Intervention studies have been focussing primarily on mouth-care interventions.

Conclusion

Thirst is a distressing symptom in the ICU, with reported high prevalence and intensity. Knowledge about its causes, interventions that incorporate minimising its risk, occurrence and intensity are limited.

Implications for clinical practice

Health care providers should acknowledge thirst as a prominent symptom for ICU patients. They should possess knowledge on the factors that potentially evoke or aggravate thirst. Regular and timely relief of thirst by oral care with cold swabs and the application of menthol can be regarded as a first choice of intervention.