A cardiopulmonary stress test measures the response of your heart and lungs to physical exertion in a controlled environment. Typically, this test is recommended by providers to find out how much exercise or physical exertion your heart and lungs can manage before experiencing a problem.
If you’ve been recommended a cardiopulmonary stress test, here are some things you may want to discuss with your provider.
Understanding Why a Cardiopulmonary Stress Test Is Recommended
Before going for a cardiopulmonary stress test, you should know why the test has been recommended to you. Typically, providers will recommend the test to:
- Determine the cause of shortness of breath
- Detect or evaluate heart disorders, like cardiac myopathy, heart failure, heart valve disease, cardiac arrhythmia, etc.
- Evaluate lung function and detect the severity of lung disorders like exercise-induced asthma, pulmonary vascular disease, cystic fibrosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), etc.
You should also discuss with your providers the parameters that your cardiopulmonary stress test will evaluate and how these will impact your test results. Generally, cardiopulmonary stress test evaluates things like:
- Oxygen consumption (VO2)
- Pulmonary ventilation (VE)
- Respiratory exchange ratio (R)
- Breathing reserve (VE/MVV)
- Relation between VO2 and workload
- Ventilator equivalent for CO2 and O2
- End-tidal carbon dioxide partial pressure (PETCO2)
- Oxygen pulse (O2 pulse)
- Heart rate
- ECG ST-segment change
- Noninvasive blood pressure (NIBP)
Discussing The Result of the Cardiopulmonary Stress Test
Once you’re done with the cardiopulmonary stress test, you should discuss the results of the test with your provider.
If your test result is abnormal, this means there is a problem with your heart (blockage of arteries, problems in the heart valves, etc.) or lungs (exercise-induced asthma, disability in lungs, lung infection, dyspnea, breathing problem, etc.). In such cases, your provider will either recommend further testing to confirm the diagnosis or develop a treatment plan to treat your lungs or heart problem.
On the other hand, positive or normal test results mean that there is no problem with your heart and lungs, and you may not need further testing. However, in some cases, your lung doctor may recommend different tests, such as spirometry tests, pulmonary function tests, or chest X-rays, to figure out the cause of your symptoms.
Cardiopulmonary Stress Test in Weatherford, TX
Here at the Lung & Sleep Specialists of North Texas, our highly skilled and trained lung specialist, Dr. Olusegun Oseni, is committed to providing you with highly individualized and comprehensive care for your health problem, such as sleep apnea, asthma, COPD, bronchitis, and more. Our lung specialist recommends cardiopulmonary stress testing and other pulmonary tests to evaluate symptoms that suggest a heart or lung problem. Once a diagnosis is reached, we can provide a customized treatment plan for you.
If you would like to make an appointment with us, call today at (817) 594-9993 or use our convenient online appointment request form.
