General Principles of Exercise Testing in Cardiac Rehabilitation
摘要
All patients must undergo a clinical evaluation before being admitted to a cardiac rehabilitation program (CRP). This preprogram assessment should include a medical consultation, echocardiography [evaluating left ventricular (LV) function and valvular disease], a cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET), and blood tests to estimate the short- and long-term cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. A standard exercise test (ET) may be considered only if CPET is unavailable, as CPET is far superior for risk stratification and exercise prescription.