Noninvasive Cardiology
(Diagnostic Testing)

Types of Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing

Exercise tests are conducted by an expert in exercise physiology. They are designed to provoke previously observed symptoms (such as chest pain or shortness of breath) in a controlled testing environment and evaluate how your child responds to exercise. NewYork-Presbyterian offers the following types of pediatric exercise testing:

• Cardiovascular stress test, performed on a treadmill, with a complete electrocardiogram which measures your child's heart rate and rhythm and blood pressure changes during a study that includes an increase in speed and incline over time.
• Cardiopulmonary exercise test or progressive exercise test, performed on a treadmill or stationary bike, which measures how well your child's heart and lungs work while exercising. It helps the doctor understand how much exercise your child's heart and lungs can handle and measures heart rhythm, rate, blood pressure, and breathing capacity during exercise. This test also includes three different types of breathing tests that help us understand how well your child's lungs are working.
• Exercise-induced asthma challenge measures lung function before and after exercise. It helps the doctor determine if your child has exercise-induced asthma.
• Six-minute walk test, performed to find out how far your child can walk for six minutes, and how his or her heart rate and oxygen levels respond to exercise.