Author:

Keywords:

Cardiology, Exercise Test, Exercise Tolerance, Heart Failure, Congestive, Humans, Respiratory Function Tests, Ventricular Dysfunction, Left, Science & Technology, Life Sciences & Biomedicine, Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems, Cardiovascular System & Cardiology, exercise, heart failure, physiology, training, RESPIRATORY GAS-EXCHANGE, BY-BREATH MEASUREMENT, FLOWMETER, VENTILATION, LINEARITY, Contraindications, Heart Failure, Task Force of the Italian Working Group on Cardiac Rehabilitation and Prevention (Gruppo Italiano di Cardiologia Riabilitativa e Prevenzione, GICR), Working Group on Cardiac Rehabilitation and Exercise Physiology of the European Society of Cardiology, Cardiovascular System & Hematology

Abstract:

Basic and practical information related to equipment, methodology, exercise protocols, conduct of the test and quality control issues for cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) will be addressed in this II part of the statement. CPET users have the responsibility for assuring that measurements remain accurate. CPT, especially when it features breath-by-breath gas exchange analysis, requires meticulous attention to calibration procedures to assure accurate and reproducible measurements. Skills and knowledge of personnel for supervision and test interpretation, as well as patient preparation and information are key features for a correct CPET conduction: all these issues will be faced. Finally, after the test, the investigator needs to format the results in a manner that optimises the ability to discriminate essential response features; that is, to establish 'interpretive clusters' of the variables of interest. An example of a cardiopulmonary summary exercise test data report will be provided, defining the most important information that should be incorporated in a final report.