Objective To investigate the status of thirst in patients with heart failure and analyze its influencing factors. Methods A convenient sampling method was used to select 289 patients hospitalized for heart failure to fill out the general information questionnaire, the Thirst Distress Scale, and the Sodium-restricted Diet Questionnaire. Results The score of thirst distress in patients with heart failure was (29.49±5.60); the score of sodium-restricted diet attitude and behavior was (56.34±11.83). The total score of sodium-restricted diet attitude and behavior and the scores of all dimensions were negatively correlated with the score of thirst distress (P<0.01 for all). Multiple linear regression results showed that cardiac function classification, bed confinement and sodium-restricted diet attitude and behavior were the main influencing factors of thirst distress in patients with heart failure (P<0.01 for all). Conclusion The overall condition of thirst distress in patients with heart failure is serious. Patients with a poorer cardiac function, confined to bed rest, and having poor sodium-restricted diet attitude and behavior report heavier thirst distress levels. Nursing staff should provide patients with targeted nursing measures, in a bid to alleviate thirst distress levels.