title: [Cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) – indication and clinical impact].
abstract: Dyspnoea is a common symptom of exercice intolerance. Tests performed at rest often leave the reason open. Cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) is a tool for the qualitative and quantitative assessment of the cardio-circulatory, pulmonary and metabolic response to exercise. It is the gold-standard in the evaluation of dyspnoea and identifying its etiology (obstructive/restrictive lung disease, heart failure, physical fitness …). CPET is particularly useful, if previous evaluations including history, physical examination, ECG, pulmonary function testing (PFT), X-ray, blood tests, and blood gases do not lead to a decisive diagnosis. The measurement of peak oxygen consumption, carbon dioxide production, minute ventilation and heart rate provides substantial diagnostic and prognostic information in a wide variety of clinical settings. Interpreting CPET requires pathophysiological knowledge and can sometimes be challenging. An easy-to-use algorithm may provide a useful assistance for interpretation the results. In addition to its use as a diagnostic tool, CPET can be used to support sportsmen reaching their training goals and evaluate subject's ability to work.
authors.affiliation: 1 Departement Innere Medizin, Klinik für Pneumologie und Schlafmedizin, Kantonsspital St. Gallen.
authors.forename: Jörg
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hansen
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Rassouli
authors.forename: Martin H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Brutsche
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D001784:Blood Gas Analysis; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000517:prevention & control; D004417:Dyspnea / Q000209:etiology*; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005080:Exercise Test / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D010809:Physical Fitness / Q000502:physiology