[Cardiopulmonary exercise testing: the exercise stress test of the future?].

Scientific evidence is mounting that cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) offers different potential clinical applications in cardiology. In comparison with traditional ECG stress testing, CPET provides more accurate diagnostic information and prognostic insights as well, in particular in patients with chronic heart failure and primary pulmonary hypertension. The barriers that actually limit the diffusion of CPET among cardiologists are primarily "cultural", because modern ergospirometric tools are easy to use, and the time required for a CPET is not dissimilar from that of a standard ECG stress test. At present, time seems to be ripe for considering CPET as the new exercise stress test in cardiology.