Ordering a cardiopulmonary exercise test for your patient: key considerations for the physician

Cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPX) is a specialized exercise assessment that provides valuable information in a number of patient populations. Physicians are often familiar with standard exercise testing procedures (i.e., the cardiac stress test) and, therefore, appropriately refer patients with signs/symptoms suggestive of myocardial ischemia. However, the procedures surrounding referral for CPX, and the relevance of the data obtained, may not be as widely understood in the medical community. The purpose of the current special report is to provide physicians referring patients for CPX with information on the appropriateness of CPX referral and testing logistics, the identification of an appropriate CPX laboratory for referral, and definitions on key CPX variables that should be included in the final report.