Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing

Human physical activity is essential for individual well-being and survival. Exercise is not a variant of rest, but an essential ingredient of life. Evaluation of individuals during exercise is mandatory for assessing a person’s physical performance and limitations.

The parameters that cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) analyze at the mouth—ventilation, oxygen uptake, carbon dioxide production, and their derived parameters—reflect what is happening in the lungs, heart, skeletal muscles, and essentially every organ and cell in the body. Each of these bodily components may directly or indirectly affect CPET measurements, making this test one of the most holistic medical evaluation techniques available.

Reference

• Schraufnagel DE, Agostoni P. Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing. Ann Am Thorac Soc 2017 Jul;14(Supplement_1):S1-S2. Go to PubMed