EXERCISE-RELATED VENTILATORY ABNORMALITIES AND SURVIVAL IN CONGESTIVE-HEART-FAILURE

This retrospective study of 104 New York Heart Association class 1 to 4 heart failure patients undergoing exercise stress testing with gas e xchange analysis demonstrated that the ventilatory equivalent for carb on dioxide at anaerobic threshold is useful in determining prognosis i n patients with severe congestive heart failure, particularly when use d in combination with peak exercise oxygen consumption. A ventilatory equivalent for carbon dioxide >50 and peak oxygen consumption less tha n or equal to 15.0 ml/kg/min defines a very high-risk patient group wh o should be prioritized for transplantation.