<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0303</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2010-11-10</periodOfReport>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000740260</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>VENTAS INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>VTR</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001501751</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Cozzi Vincent M.</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>111 SOUTH WACKER DRIVE, SUITE 4800</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>CHICAGO</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>IL</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>60606</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>SVP Medical Office Properties</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

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                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
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                </transactionPricePerShare>
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                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
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                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
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                </natureOfOwnership>
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        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
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        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
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            </transactionDate>
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                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
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                </transactionPricePerShare>
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                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
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                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
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                <natureOfOwnership>
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                </natureOfOwnership>
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        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
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            </transactionDate>
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                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
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                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
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            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
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        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
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                </transactionPricePerShare>
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                <transactionShares>
                    <value>1800</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>54.02</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
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                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
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            <postTransactionAmounts>
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                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
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            <ownershipNature>
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        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
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            <transactionDate>
                <value>2010-11-11</value>
            </transactionDate>
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                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
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            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>100</value>
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                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>54.03</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
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                    <value>9049</value>
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        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
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                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
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            <transactionAmounts>
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                    <value>400</value>
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                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>54.04</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
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            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>8649</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
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                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
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                <natureOfOwnership>
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        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
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                <value>2010-11-10</value>
            </transactionDate>
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                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
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            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
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                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>54.05</value>
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                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
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                    <value>8449</value>
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                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
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                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Stock Option (Right to Buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>41.54</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2010-11-10</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>M</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>7539</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2008-01-22</value>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2018-01-22</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>7539</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>11358</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Stock Option (Right to Buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>21.57</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2010-11-10</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>M</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>5176</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2009-02-27</value>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2019-02-27</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>5176</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>6182</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F4"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
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            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">On November 10, 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.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">These options were part of a previously reported grant of 7,539 on January 22, 2008, by the Issuer to the Reporting Person that vested in three equal installments on January 22, 2008, January 22, 2009 and January 22, 2010.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">These options were part of a previously reported grant of 7,764 on February 27, 2009, by the Issuer to the Reporting Person that vests in three equal installments on February 27, 2009, February 27, 2010 and February 27, 2011.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">Represents total number of unexercised stock options held by the Reporting Person as of November, 10, 2010.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Vincent M. Cozzi, By: T. Richard Riney, Attorney-In-Fact</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2010-11-12</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
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X0303
4
2010-11-10
0000740260
VENTAS INC
VTR
0001501751
Cozzi Vincent M.
111 SOUTH WACKER DRIVE, SUITE 4800
CHICAGO
IL
60606
0
1
0
0
SVP Medical Office Properties
Common Stock
2010-11-10
4
M
0
7539
41.54
A
15988
D
Common Stock
2010-11-10
4
M
0
5176
21.57
A
21164
D
Common Stock
2010-11-10
4
S
0
100
53.91
D
21064
D
Common Stock
2010-11-10
4
S
0
600
53.93
D
20464
D
Common Stock
2010-11-10
4
S
0
848
53.94
D
19616
D
Common Stock
2010-11-10
4
S
0
1200
53.95
D
18416
D
Common Stock
2010-11-10
4
S
0
367
53.96
D
18049
D
Common Stock
2010-11-10
4
S
0
1559
53.97
D
16490
D
Common Stock
2010-11-10
4
S
0
241
53.98
D
16249
D
Common Stock
2010-11-10
4
S
0
700
53.99
D
15549
D
Common Stock
2010-11-10
4
S
0
4000
54.00
D
11549
D
Common Stock
2010-11-10
4
S
0
600
54.01
D
10949
D
Common Stock
2010-11-10
4
S
0
1800
54.02
D
9149
D
Common Stock
2010-11-11
4
S
0
100
54.03
D
9049
D
Common Stock
2010-11-10
4
S
0
400
54.04
D
8649
D
Common Stock
2010-11-10
4
S
0
200
54.05
D
8449
D
Stock Option (Right to Buy)
41.54
2010-11-10
4
M
0
7539
0
D
2008-01-22
2018-01-22
Common Stock
7539
11358
D
Stock Option (Right to Buy)
21.57
2010-11-10
4
M
0
5176
0
D
2009-02-27
2019-02-27
Common Stock
5176
6182
D
On November 10, 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.
These options were part of a previously reported grant of 7,539 on January 22, 2008, by the Issuer to the Reporting Person that vested in three equal installments on January 22, 2008, January 22, 2009 and January 22, 2010.
These options were part of a previously reported grant of 7,764 on February 27, 2009, by the Issuer to the Reporting Person that vests in three equal installments on February 27, 2009, February 27, 2010 and February 27, 2011.
Represents total number of unexercised stock options held by the Reporting Person as of November, 10, 2010.
Vincent M. Cozzi, By: T. Richard Riney, Attorney-In-Fact
2010-11-12