Culture shift
Dr. Forman acknowledged that VO2 max tests can be difficult and expensive to administer in offices that aren’t already equipped with CPET machines. He said conducting other assessments, such as observing the patient performing a short walk, won’t provide as accurate data but is better than not assessing function at all.
“Specialists all have different things they measure, but function is the common denominator. For an aging population, it is the number one thing we should be looking at,” Dr. Forman said. “It’s a skill set, it’s an investment, it’s a change in culture at a time when cardiologists are obsessed with getting the latest imaging machines.”
Dr. Allison said all cardiologists should assess their patients’ VO2 max and that family medicine doctors should use the test for certain patients, such as those who have gained an unusual amount of weight or report being out of breath more than usual.
“We have all sorts of things that can go wrong with us as we get older, but if we’re sitting in a doctor’s office, it may not be apparent what they are,” Dr. Allison said. “We have to get patients up and moving.”
The authors have disclosed no relevant financial relationships.
A version of this article originally appeared on Medscape.com.