Cardiopulmonary exercise testing

Cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) is a relatively noninvasive method of testing that measures respiratory gas exchange (e.g., oxygen uptake (VO2), carbon dioxide output (VCO2), minute ventilation (VE), and anaerobic threshold), in addition to monitoring electrocardiography, blood pressure, and pulse oximetry during a maximal progressive exercise tolerance test.

When appropriate, arterial sampling is also performed to provide more detailed information about pulmonary gas exchange.

Performing this test may required in following situations:


 * Assistance in the differentiation of cardiac versus pulmonary limitations as a cause of exercise-induced dyspnea or impaired exercise capacity when the cause is uncertain
 * Identification of high-risk patients presenting with heart failure who are candidates for cardiac transplantation or other advanced treatment
 * Evaluation of exercise capacity when indicated for medical reasons in patients with cardiac pathology for whom the estimates of exercise capacity from exercise test time or work rate are unreliable
 * Evaluation of patients presenting with heart failure to help determine whether heart failure is the cause of exercise limitations when the contribution of heart failure is uncertain
 * Adjunct to preoperative assessment for patients being considered for lung cancer resectional surgery, when cardiovascular evaluation or pulmonary function testing indicates patient is at increased risk for perioperative complications.