Cardiopulmonary exercise test
What is a cardiopulmonary exercise test and why do I need this test?
Your consultant has asked you to attend for an exercise test. The exercise involves cycling
on a bicycle whilst we record your heart rate and measure your breathing.
The results of this test will enable your consultant to make a complete assessment of your
symptoms, make a diagnosis and plan any treatment as necessary.
Preparing for the test

You will need to wear comfortable clothes and shoes which are suitable for cycling
eg. trainers or flat shoes, not sandals or shoes with heels.

Ladies - please avoid wearing long skirts as this will make it difficult to cycle.

Please do not eat for 2 hours before the test, and eat only a light meal before this
time.

No cigarettes or alcohol must be taken 2 hours before the test.
Medication

Please bring a list of all your medication with you.

It is important that you take all of your prescribed medication as normal on the day
of your test.

If we need you to stop any medication we will let you know, but this is highly
unlikely.
Allergies

Please let us know if you have any allergies, particularly to adhesive tapes such as
plaster or micro pore.
During the test
You will be asked to perform some simple breathing tests. Then you will be asked to
undress above the waist so that the physiologist can apply the electrodes to your chest to
record the electrical activity of your heart (an ECG heart trace). When we have done this,
the ECG will be analysed before proceeding with the exercise.
You will be asked to sit on the bicycle. A breathing mask will be attached so we can
measure your breathing capacity whilst you are exercising. The mask will feel a little
uncomfortable but it will not be painful. We will also take your blood pressure throughout
the test.
After recording your breathing at rest, we will then ask you to start pedalling on the bicycle
at a rate of 50 - 60 revs per minute; you will be able to see this on the screen in front of
you.
After 3 minutes it will start getting gradually harder to pedal, but you will still need to keep
pedalling at above 50 if you can.
Please be reassured that during the test we will be monitoring your heart rate, blood
pressure and breathing to check there are no problems and you are safe to continue.
You will also need to let us know if you are unable to continue due to pain or
breathlessness, this will be explained in more detail when you attend for the test.
The test will be stopped by the physiologist/doctor when we have got the required
measurements.
When we have reached the end of the test we will reduce the load on the pedals whilst you
continue pedalling for a minute or so. We will then stop the test and ask you to take a seat
whilst we remove the breathing mask. We will continue to monitor your heart rate for a few
minutes.
Once we are happy with the results we will remove the electrodes and the test will be
complete.
How long will the test take?
The test will take a maximum of 1 hour. However, this includes the explanation of the test,
setting up of the equipment, attaching electrodes and blood pressure cuffs. The exercise is
only a short part of the test and can take several minutes.
Are there any risks involved with having these tests?
Please be reassured that the risks outlined below are minimal.
You may experience some side-effects during the test, and these could include
breathlessness, possible chest pain, and pain in your legs. It is important you let us know if
you experience any of these symptoms during the test.
It is possible that the test will highlight symptoms that you were unaware of. In extreme
cases we may find that the blood supply to your heart is very restricted and could lead to
angina, or very rarely a heart attack, or a life threatening rhythm, the risk of this happening
is minimal - less than 1 in 10,000.
However, we feel it is better to be aware of such problems, and therefore possibly be able
to improve them.
Alternative treatment options
Your consultant has recommended this test as being the best option. There are no
alternative tests available. However, there is always the option of not receiving any
treatment at all.
The consequence of not receiving the test is that a complete assessment/diagnosis may be
difficult to obtain. If you would like more information please speak to your consultant or one
of the nurses caring for you.
If you have any queries, or require further information
please contact a respiratory physiologist on 01332 787181
P2142/1582/11.2016/VERSION2
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