<b>KNOWLEDGE AND PERCEPTION OF CARDIOLOGISTS TOWARDS EARLY MOBILIZATION IN INTENSIVE CARE UNIT IN TERTIARY CARE HOSPITALS OF PESHAWAR: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY</b>

Introduction: Early mobilization in the ICU has become increasingly acknowledged because of the advantages it offers, such as better cardiac function, fewer complications, and shorter durations of mechanical ventilation. Cardiologists, with their knowledge of cardiovascular responses, are important to consult regarding mobilization decisions. Institutional and patient factors, however, act as impediments to its practice. This study was conducted to evaluate cardiologists' knowledge, attitudes, and practices about ICU-acquired weakness (AW) and early mobilization in critically ill patients. Materials and methods: A cross-sectional survey was done in two months from 106 cardiologists of Peshawar through universal sampling. A 19-item questionnaire was used to evaluate their ICU-AW and mobilization awareness and practice. SPSS v22 was used to analyze data. Frequencies and percentages were used to describe demographics, and chi-square tests were used to find associations.     Results: The response rate was 89%, with 73.6% males and 26.4% females; 56.6% were aged 23–30. About 31.1% estimated the incidence of ICU-AW as 11–20%, while 45.3% deemed early mobilization very important. Only 25.5% supported mobilization immediately post-extubation. Nearly half (48.1%) identified physicians as the primary initiators of mobilization, while 40.6% cited registered nurses. Moreover, 41.5% believed patients with AW should be referred to physiotherapists. Conclusion: Cardiologists had limited knowledge of ICU-acquired weakness, although most valued early mobilization. Physicians were viewed as ultimate decision makers, with physiotherapists recommended to handle AW cases.