Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 3, 2026

Implantation of Left Ventricular Assist Device (LVAD) in Juvenile Landrace Swine: A LVAD Implantation Model of Pediatric Heart Failure
Published on: January 16, 2026
Is exercise training safe and beneficial in patients receiving left ventricular assist device therapy?
Osama Alsara1, Carmen Perez-Terzic, Ray W Squires
1Department of Internal Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing (Dr Alsara); Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Cardiovascular Diseases and Internal Medicine, Cardiovascular Health Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota (Drs Perez-Terzic, Squires, and Thomas); and Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (Dr Perez-Terzic), Department of Internal Medicine, Division of General Internal Medicine (Drs Dandamudi and Miranda), and Department of Surgery, Division of Cardiovascular Surgery (Dr Park), Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota.
Abstract:
Because a limited number of patients receive heart transplantation, alternative therapies, such as left ventricular assist device (LVAD) therapy, have emerged. Published studies have shown that LVAD implantation, by itself, improves exercise tolerance to the point where it is comparable to those with mild heart failure. The improvement in exercise capacity is maximally achieved 12 weeks after LVAD therapy and can continue even after explantation of the device. This effect varies, depending on the type of LVAD and exercise training. The available data in the literature on safety and benefits of exercise training in patients after LVAD implantation are limited, but the data that are available suggest that training trends to be safe and have an impact on exercise capacity in LVAD patients. Although no studies were identified on the role of cardiac rehabilitation programs in the management of LVAD patients, it appears that cardiac rehabilitation programs offer an ideal setting for the provision of supervised exercise training in this patient group.
Related Concept Videos
Heart Failure VI: Adjunct Therapies
Cardiomyopathy V: Interprofessional Care
Exercise and Cardiac Output
Sustained exercise increases the muscles' oxygen demand, which can be...
Exercise and Cardiovascular Response
Light to moderate physical activity initiates a series of interconnected responses in the body. The heart rate modestly increases in anticipation of the workout, followed by widespread vasodilation as oxygen consumption by skeletal muscles increases. This results in decreased peripheral resistance, increased capillary blood flow, and accelerated...
Cardiomyopathy II: Dilated Cardiomyopathy
Cardiomyopathy III: Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy

