Article

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 more than 5 million people in the United States with heart
failure, and with a limited ability to manage the progressive and debilitating
nature of heart failure, VADs are becoming more commonplace. 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: (1) to deliver comprehensive
rehabilitation services to patients on VAD support, (2) to develop an
understanding of the role of functional mobility in recovery, and (3) to
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.

Langue : ANGLAIS