What We Learn from a Cardiopulmonary Exercise Stress Test

Cardiopulmonary stress test equipment and computers tell us about your child's heart and lungs

Cardiopulmonary exercise tests tell our team the capacity of your child’s heart and lungs and what steps, if any, are necessary to make improvements over time. The information the tests give us includes:

Aerobic capacity – The body’s ability to process oxygen
Anaerobic threshold – The point at which muscles begin to work without oxygen
Baselines – We compare future tests against these baseline measurements to determine changes in your child’s health
- Lung testing
- Blood pressure and exercise response
EKG findings and heart rate response to exercise
Gas exchange rate – The amount or frequency of oxygen breathed in and carbon dioxide breathed out at constant work rates
Respiratory exchange ratio – The amount of oxygen (VO2) inhaled compared directly to the amount of carbon dioxide (VCO2) exhaled
Ventilatory rate – The rate at which gas enters and leaves the lungs
Oxygen pulse and saturation (the body’s ability to oxygenate the blood)
Signs or symptoms of heart, lung or certain metabolic conditions or diseases
Signs or symptoms related to metabolic disorders or musculoskeletal problems

We use this information to:

Assess health risks
Determine physical activity status
Provide physical activity programs