Thirst or dry mouth in dying patients?-A qualitative study of palliative care physicians' experiences.
Maria FriedrichsenCaroline LythellTiny JaarsmaPier JaarsmaHelene ÅngströmMicha MilovanovicMarit KarlssonAnna MilbergHans ThulesiusChristel HedmanNana WaldréusAnne Söderlund SchallerPublished in: PloS one (2023)
The palliative care physicians had different experiences regarding thirst, from thirst never arising, to a lack of awareness. They thought good mouth care worked well to alleviate the feeling of thirst and dry mouth. Most physicians did not want to give patients drips, while some did. This study indicates that there are many unanswered questions when it comes to thirst at end-of-life and that further research is needed.