A ventricular assist device (“VAD”) includes a continuous-flow pump (2) implantable in fluid communication with a ventricle (V) and an artery (A) of a patient to assist blood flow from the ventricle to the artery. The VAD also includes a control circuit (12) connected to the pump, the control circuit being configured to direct the pump to operate in a series of cycles. Each cycle may include (i) pumping blood at a first speed (RPM1) and at a first flow rate during a first period (t1); then (ii) decreasing the speed of the pump from the first speed to a second speed (RPM2) during a ramp-down period (tRD); then (iii) pumping blood at the second speed and at a second flow rate during a second period (t2); and then (iv) increasing the speed of the pump from the second speed to the first speed during a ramp-up period (tRU).