Early Mobilization in Older Adults with Acute Cardiovascular Disease
Michael Goldfarb, Koorosh Semsar‐Kazerooni, José A. Morais, Diana Dima
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Early mobilization (EM) is beneficial in critical care units and in older hospitalized patients, but little is known about EM in older adults with acute cardiovascular disease. METHODS: Consecutive admissions of adults ≥80 years old to a Cardiac Intensive Care Unit (CICU) prior to and following implementation of a nurse-driven EM program were reviewed. Mobility was measured using the Level of Function (LOF) Mobility Scale, which ranges from 0 (bed immobile) to 5 (able to walk >20 meters). The primary outcome was discharge home. RESULTS: There were 412 patients included (N = 234, intervention; N = 178, preintervention). There was no difference in age between groups (overall 86.3 ± 4.8 years old) or sex (overall female N = 215, 52.2%). In the intervention group, functional impairment was present in 89 patients (38.0%) prehospitalization and in 209 patients (89.3%) on admission. Nearly half of patients (N = 107; 45.7%) improved their LOF by ≥1 during admission. Mobilization occurred during nearly all opportunities (838/850; 98.6%), and most mobility activities were completed (2,207/2,553; 86.4%). Adverse events were rare (5/2,207 activities [0.2% adverse event rate]) and transient. Patients in the intervention group were more likely than patients in the preintervention group to be discharged home (74.4 vs. 65.7%, P = 0.047, respectively) and had a lower rate of in-hospital death (6.4 vs. 14.6%, P = 0.006, respectively). There was no difference in mean length of hospital stay, 30-day emergency department visit or hospital re-admission. CONCLUSION: EM is safe in older adults in the CICU and is associated with reduced discharge to healthcare facility and in-hospital mortality.