Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing

AbstractBecause symptoms of cardiopulmonary disease often occur with exertion, cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) has a unique role in the assessment of patient symptoms, disease severity, prognosis, and response to therapy. In addition to the evaluation of cardiovascular and pulmonary physiology, CPET provides an assessment of the interaction of the cardiovascular and pulmonary systems with the musculoskeletal, nervous, and hematological systems. In this article, we review key CPET variables, protocols, and clinical indications.