Cardiopulmonary exercise tests in rare cardiovascular heart diseases

Cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) is commonly used in clinica practice for both functional and diagnostic assessments of patients with cardiovascular and pulmonary disease. It provides assessment of the integrative exercise responses involving the pulmonary, cardiovascular and skeletal muscle systems, which are not adequately reflected through the measurement of individual organ system function. In a group of patients with a congenital heart disease or pulmonary hypertension assessment of exercise capacity and exercise tolerance can be a long term evaluation of treatment efficacy. It is also an objective diagnostic and prognostic tool of exercise capacity that allows to evaluate full actual physical condition of this population. JRCD 2015; 2 (5): 139–143