Ownership Submission
FORM 4
Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).
UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940
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(Print or Type Responses)
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person *
LEWIS RAYMOND J
   2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
VENTAS INC [VTR] 		5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)
_____ Director _____ 10% Owner
__X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below)
EVP & Chief Investment Officer
(Last)
(First)
(Middle)
111 SOUTH WACKER DRIVE, SUITE 4800		 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year)
03/18/2010
(Street)

CHICAGO, IL 60606		 4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year)
 6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line)
_X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person
___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person
(City)
(State)
(Zip)
Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security
(Instr. 3)		 2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)		 4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4 and 5)		 5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 3 and 4)		 6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)		 7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price
Common Stock 03/18/2010   M   48,654 A $ 30.83 181,563 D  
Common Stock 03/18/2010   S(1)   1,100 D $ 47.49 180,463 D  
Common Stock 03/18/2010   S(1)   400 D $ 47.495 180,063 D  
Common Stock 03/18/2010   S(1)   800 D $ 47.5 179,263 D  
Common Stock 03/18/2010   S(1)   800 D $ 47.505 178,463 D  
Common Stock 03/18/2010   S(1)   300 D $ 47.5075 178,163 D  
Common Stock 03/18/2010   S(1)   3,500 D $ 47.51 174,663 D  
Common Stock 03/18/2010   S(1)   600 D $ 47.515 174,063 D  
Common Stock 03/18/2010   S(1)   1,100 D $ 47.52 172,963 D  
Common Stock 03/18/2010   S(1)   100 D $ 47.525 172,863 D  
Common Stock 03/18/2010   S(1)   400 D $ 47.535 172,463 D  
Common Stock 03/18/2010   S(1)   200 D $ 47.5375 172,263 D  
Common Stock 03/18/2010   S(1)   1,100 D $ 47.54 171,163 D  
Common Stock 03/18/2010   S(1)   200 D $ 47.5475 170,963 D  
Common Stock 03/18/2010   S(1)   3,004 D $ 47.55 167,959 D  
Common Stock 03/18/2010   S(1)   300 D $ 47.555 167,659 D  
Common Stock 03/18/2010   S(1)   200 D $ 47.5575 167,459 D  
Common Stock 03/18/2010   S(1)   4,300 D $ 47.56 163,159 D  
Common Stock 03/18/2010   S(1)   1,096 D $ 47.565 162,063 D  
Common Stock 03/18/2010   S(1)   400 D $ 47.5675 161,663 D  
Common Stock 03/18/2010   S(1)   2,784 D $ 47.57 158,879 D  
Common Stock 03/18/2010   S(1)   100 D $ 47.579 158,779 D  
Common Stock 03/18/2010   S(1)   5,450 D $ 47.58 153,329 D  
Common Stock 03/18/2010   S(1)   800 D $ 47.585 152,529 D  
Common Stock 03/18/2010   S(1)   300 D $ 47.5875 152,229 D  
Common Stock 03/18/2010   S(1)   1,800 D $ 47.59 150,429 D  
Common Stock 03/18/2010   S(1)   100 D $ 47.595 150,329 D  
Common Stock 03/18/2010   S(1)   3,300 D $ 47.6 147,029 D  
Common Stock 03/18/2010   S(1)   500 D $ 47.605 146,529 D  
Common Stock (2) 03/18/2010   S(1)   1,200 D $ 47.62 145,329 D  

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Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security
(Instr. 3)		 2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 4. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)		 5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4, and 5)		 6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date
(Month/Day/Year)		 7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities
(Instr. 3 and 4)		 8. Price of Derivative Security
(Instr. 5)		 9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 4)		 10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)		 11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V (A) (D) Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares
Stock Option (Right to Buy) $ 30.83 03/18/2010   M     48,654 01/27/2006(3) 01/27/2016 Common Stock 48,654 $ 0 197,603 (4) D  

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships
 Director  10% Owner  Officer  Other
LEWIS RAYMOND J
111 SOUTH WACKER DRIVE, SUITE 4800
CHICAGO, IL 60606		       EVP & Chief Investment Officer  

Signatures

 Raymond J. Lewis, By: T. Richard Riney, Attorney-In-Fact   03/22/2010
**Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1) On March 18, 2010, the Reporting Person transmitted to the Securities and Exchange Commission a Form 144 covering the sale of the Issuer's common stock reported on Table I.
(2) Please see the Reporting Person's subsequent Form 4 filing dated the date hereof which contains additional transactions which are part of one aggregate direction.
(3) These options were part of a previously reported grant of 48,654 on January 27, 2006 by the Issuer to the Reporting Person that vested in three equal annual installments on January 27, 2006, January 27, 2007 and January 27, 2008.
(4) Represents total number of unexercised stock options held by the Reporting Person as of March 18, 2010.

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