In simple words: This is a breathing test done while you exercise. It checks how well your heart and lungs work when you are active. The doctor will monitor your heart, breathing, and blood levels while you walk on a treadmill or ride a stationary bike. This helps them understand if your heart and lungs are getting enough oxygen to your body during exercise.

Cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) is a complex procedure used to evaluate heart and lung function during exercise. It involves measuring minute ventilation (the volume of gas inhaled or exhaled per minute), carbon dioxide (CO2) production, oxygen (O2) uptake, and electrocardiographic (ECG) recordings.The test helps assess how the cardiovascular, pulmonary, and metabolic systems respond to physical stress.It involves continuous ECG monitoring with chest electrodes and measurement of oxygen saturation, heart rate, blood pressure, and other physiological parameters. The patient typically exercises on a treadmill or stationary bike, with parameters measured during rest, exercise, and recovery. Blood samples are often taken to measure oxygen and carbon dioxide levels.

Example 1: A patient with shortness of breath during exercise undergoes CPET to evaluate for possible heart or lung conditions., A patient with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) undergoes CPET to assess the severity of their lung disease and guide treatment decisions., An athlete undergoes CPET to assess their fitness level and identify potential areas for improvement.

Documentation should include the reason for the test, the patient's medical history, the type of exercise performed, the results of the measurements (minute ventilation, CO2 production, O2 uptake, ECG), and the physician's interpretation of the findings. Any adverse events during the test should also be documented.