Cardiopulmonary Exercise Test: Background, Applicability and Interpretation

Abstract Cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET) has been gaining importance as a method of functional assessment in Brazil and worldwide. In its most frequent applications, CPET consists in applying a gradually increasing intensity exercise until exhaustion or until the appearance of limiting symptoms and/or signs. The following parameters are measured: ventilation; oxygen consumption (VO2); carbon dioxide production (VCO2); and the other variables of conventional exercise testing. In addition, in specific situations, pulse oximetry and flow-volume loops during and after exertion are measured. The CPET provides joint data analysis that allows complete assessment of the cardiovascular, respiratory, muscular and metabolic systems during exertion, being considered gold standard for cardiorespiratory functional assessment.1-6 The CPET allows defining mechanisms related to low functional capacity that can cause symptoms, such as dyspnea, and correlate them with changes in the cardiovascular, pulmonary and skeletal muscle systems. Furthermore, it can be used to provide the prognostic assessment of patients with heart or lung diseases, and in the preoperative period, in addition to aiding in a more careful exercise prescription to healthy subjects, athletes and patients with heart or lung diseases. Similarly to CPET clinical use, its research also increases, with the publication of several scientific contributions from Brazilian researchers in high-impact journals. Therefore, this study aimed at providing a comprehensive review on the applicability of CPET to different clinical situations, in addition to serving as a practical guide for the interpretation of that test.

Bibliographic Details

Main Authors:	Herdy,Artur Haddad, Ritt,Luiz Eduardo Fonteles, Stein,Ricardo, Araújo,Claudio Gil Soares de, Milani,Mauricio, Meneghelo,Romeu Sérgio, Ferraz,Almir Sérgio, Hossri,Carlos, Almeida,Antonio Eduardo Monteiro de, Fernandes-Silva,Miguel Morita, Serra,Salvador Manoel
Format:	Digital revista
Language:	English
Published:	Sociedade Brasileira de Cardiologia - SBC 2016
Online Access:	http://old.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0066-782X2016004400467
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