Physical Therapist Management of Patients With Ventricular Assist Devices: Key Considerations for the Acute Care Physical Therapist

This article provides an overview of the utilization of ventricular assist devices (VADs), reviews the common features of VADs and management of VAD recipients, discusses clinical considerations in the rehabilitation process, and describes the role of the acute care physical therapist in the care of VAD recipients. With over 5 million individuals in the United States suffering from heart failure (HF), and with a limited ability to manage the progressive and debilitating nature of HF, VADs are becoming more common place. In order to prescribe a comprehensive and effective plan of care, the physical therapist needs to understand the type and function of the VADs and the goals of the VAD program. The goals for the physical therapist are to deliver comprehensive rehabilitation services to patients on VAD support; to develop an understanding of the role of functional mobility in recovery; and understand how preoperative physical function may contribute to the VAD selection process. The acute care physical therapist has an increasing role in providing a complex range of rehabilitation services as well as serving as a well-educated resource to physical therapists across the health care spectrum as more VAD recipients are living in the community.