The Role of Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing in Exercise Prescription Design for Chronic Non-communicable Diseases

Abstract

Insufficient physical activity levels, combined with high-energy dietary intake and sedentary lifestyles, have become the leading independent risk factors for the development of chronic non-communicable diseases (NCDs). This review systematically elaborates on the central role of cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) in exercise prescription design for NCD populations, establishes a precise exercise prescription formulation process based on CPET core indicators, and provides evidence-based support for exercise rehabilitation practice in chronic disease populations. The results indicate that CPET provides objective, precise, and individualized exercise prescription formulation basis for chronic disease populations through accurate measurement of core indicators such as peak oxygen uptake (VO₂peak), anaerobic threshold (AT), and ventilatory efficiency (VE/VCO₂ slope). Exercise prescriptions based on CPET results can significantly improve functional status and clinical prognosis in patients with chronic diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. It is recommended that CPET be adopted as a routine assessment tool for exercise rehabilitation in chronic disease populations, promoting the transformation of exercise prescriptions from “empirical” to “precision-based” approaches.