Rehabilitation, Weaning and Physical Therapy Strategies in the Critically Ill patients

In critically ill patients prolonged hospital stay as a consequence of the initial acute insult, combined with adverse side effects of drug therapy, often on the background of chronic disease, causes severe late complications like muscle weakness, prolonged symptoms, mood alterations and poor health-related quality of life. The clinical aims of physical rehabilitation for patients in both medical and surgical intensive care units (ICUs) are focussed on the patient as a whole to improve short- and even long-term care of patients admitted to these units.Purpose of this review article is to sum up the currently available evidence of comprehensive rehabilitation programs in critically ill patients, with a description of the key components and techniques used particularly in those individuals specifically admitted to specialised ICUs.Despite literature suggesting that several techniques have led to beneficial effects, and that muscle training is associated with weaning success, the scientific evidence is limited. Although there are limitations associated with undertaking comparative studies in the intensive care environment, further studies with solid clinical short- and long-term outcome measures are now welcomed.