[Cardiovascular performance assessed with exercise testing].

Since the first exercise electrocardiography was recorded in 1908, it has been in widespread clinical use for more than 100 years. Exercise testing can be performed easily and noninvasively and is relatively inexpensive. This testing is generally safe but myocardial infarction and death occur rarely. The Japanese Circulation Society describes the wide applications of exercise testing in the guidelines. The guideline for ischemic heart disease prioritizes exercise testing for the diagnosis of stable angina pectoris. Although the sensitivity and specificity are not as high as other noninvasive testing (i.e., stress single-photon emission computed tomography, computed tomography and MRI), exercise testing can also assess the severity and prognosis of the disease. Cardiac rehabilitation is a useful tool to improve the prognosis of patients with myocardial infarction. Exercise therapy is a main component of cardiac rehabilitation, and exercise testing is indispensable for prescribing exercise therapy. Exercise capacity is an important prognostic factor in patients with heart failure. The guideline for the diagnosis of chronic heart failure recommends cardiopulmonary exercise testing to evaluate exercise capacity.