Abstract
Despite the historical precedent of mobilizing critically ill patients, bed rest is common practice in ICUs worldwide, especially for mechanically ventilated patients. ICU-acquired weakness is an increasingly recognized problem, with sequelae that may last for months and years following ICU discharge. The combination of critical illness and bed rest results in substantial muscle wasting during an ICU stay. When initiated shortly after the start of mechanical ventilation, mobilization and rehabilitation can play an important role in decreasing the duration of mechanical ventilation and hospital stay and improving patients' return to functional independence. This review summarizes recent evidence supporting the safety, feasibility, and benefits of early mobilization and rehabilitation of mechanically ventilated patients and presents a brief summary of future directions for this field.
- ICU
- rehabilitation
- early mobilization
- bed rest
- physical therapy
- occupational therapy
- mechanical ventilation
Footnotes
- Correspondence: Dale M Needham MD PhD, Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, 1830 E Monument St, 5th Floor, Baltimore, MD 21205. E-mail: dale.needham{at}jhmi.edu
Dr Needham presented a version of this paper as the 3rd Annual Thomas L Petty Memorial Lecture at the 61st AARC Congress, held November 7–10, 2015, in Tampa, Florida.
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