title: Exercise programs for LVAD supported patients: A snapshot from the ESC affiliated countries.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To contribute to the protocol development of exercise training in LVAD supported patients by reviewing the exercise programs for those patients in the ESC affiliated countries.
  
  
  METHODS
  A subset of data from 77 (26 countries) LVAD implanting centers that participated in the Extra-HF survey (170 centers) was analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 77 LVAD implanting centers, 45 (58%) reported to have a functioning exercise training program (ETP) for LVAD patients. In 21 (47%) of the 45 ETP programs in LVAD implanting centers, patients begin their ETP during their in-hospital post-operative recovery period. Most centers (71%) have an early post-discharge program for their patients, and 24% of the centers offer a long-term maintenance program. The professionals involved in the ETPs are mainly physiotherapists (73%), psychologists, cardiac rehab nurses (22%), or cardiologists specialized in rehabilitation (22%). Not all programs include the treating cardiologist or surgeons. Most of the ETPs (84%) include aerobic endurance training, mostly cycling (73%), or walking (62%) at low intensity intervals. Some programs apply resistance training (47%), respiratory muscle training (55%), or balance training (44%). Reasons for the absence of ETPs are referral of patients to another center (14 centers) and lack of resources (11 centers).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There is a great variance in ETPs in LVAD implanting centers. Not all the implanting centers have an ETP, and those that do have adopted a local protocol. Clear guidance on ETP supplied by LVAD implanting centers to LVAD supported patients and more evidence for optimal modalities are needed.
authors: Heart Failure Unit, Rabin Medical Center, Petah Tikva, Israel; Affiliated to the Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel. Electronic address: bengaltu@gmail.com.
authors: Tuvia
authors: T
authors: Ben Gal
authors: Heart Failure Unit, Cardiac Dept, G. da Saliceto Polichirurgico Hospital, Piacenza, Italy.
authors: Massimo F
authors: MF
authors: Piepoli
authors: Department of Cardiology, Fondazione Salvatore Maugeri, IRCCS Scientific Institute of Veruno, Veruno, Italy.
authors: Ugo
authors: U
authors: Corrà
authors: Department of Cardiology and Cardiac Rehabilitation, Antwerp University Hospital, Edegem, Belgium.
authors: Viviane
authors: V
authors: Conraads
authors: Department of Cardiology, Onassis Cardiac Surgery Center, Athens, Greece.
authors: Stamatis
authors: S
authors: Adamopoulos
authors: Centro Cardiologico Monzino, IRCCS, Milano, Italy.
authors: Piergiuseppe
authors: P
authors: Agostoni
authors: Telecardiology Center, Institute of Cardiology, Alpejska 42, 04-628, Warszawa, Poland.
authors: Ewa
authors: E
authors: Piotrowicz
authors: Cardiology Clinic, Tiefenau Hospital and University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
authors: Jean-Paul
authors: JP
authors: Schmid
authors: Department of Cardiology, Clinical Center of Serbia, University of Belgrade School of Medicine, Belgrade, Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts, Serbia.
authors: Petar M
authors: PM
authors: Seferovic
authors: Department of Heart Diseases, Wroclaw Medical University, Wroclaw, Poland.
authors: Piotr
authors: P
authors: Ponikowski
authors: Heart Failure Unit at the Department of Cardiology, Athens University Hospital Attikon, Greece.
authors: Gerasimos
authors: G
authors: Filippatos
authors: Department of Social and Welfare Studies, University of Linkoping, Sweden.
authors: Tiny
authors: T
authors: Jaarsma
mesh_terms: D002309:Cardiology / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D005060:Europe / Q000453:epidemiology; D005081:Exercise Therapy / Q000379:methods* / Q000639:trends; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D012955:Societies, Medical / Q000592:standards; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Cardiac rehabilitation; Exercise training; Heart failure; Left ventricular assist device