To determine patients' preferences for intensive care and to evaluate the influence of a recent ICU experience on preferences for future ICU treatment. Survey of nonrandomized patient sample using structured interviews. Large, urban, tertiary academic medical center. Eighty-four adult inpatients discharged from the medical ICU between June and August 1990. Agreement with life-supportive care under each of four potential outcome scenarios was assessed on a 5-point scale. An overall preference score was created by summing scores for the four items. Patients were also asked about their recent experiences in the ICU. Patients identified sources of stress associated with their ICU stay, yet most (76%) rated their ICU experience positively. Preferences for future intensive care varied with perceived outcome, and were strongest for health restoration and weakest for persistent vegetative states. No significant relationships were found between ICU preferences and any demographic or clinical variable except race. Patients tolerate intensive care well and desire it to restore health. Most patients modify their desire for intensive care if less favorable outcomes are likely. Patients' preferences for intensive care cannot be predicted from demographic features or previous ICU experiences.