Exercise capacity

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]

Synonyms and related keywords: V02, peak V02, ventilatory gas analysis

Patients with congestive heart failure (CHF) have a reduced exercise capacity due to their inability to deliver oxygen to skeletal muscle and other tissues. A heart failure patient’s peak exercise capacity is strongly correlated to prognosis. Exercise capacity is quantitated using gas analyzers to assess oxygen uptake (V02), carbon dioxide production (VC02) and minute ventilation ^[1]. The peak oxygen uptake (peak V02) is linearly correlated with cardiac output and skeletal muscle blood flow. Peak V02 is divided by the heart rate, is highly correlated with stroke volume. Finally, the Fick equation uses 02 consumption to measure cardiac output: Cardiac output = V02 / arteriovenous 02 difference (A-V 02)

1. Pulmonary gas exchange
2. Cardiac mechanics and work
3. Skeletal muscle metabolism

This is the distance that a patient can walk in 6 minutes on a level surface of 30 meters length such as a hospital hallway. This distance is correlated with both the prognosis and V02.

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