The laboratory offers comprehensive exercise testing for patients from as young as age six to adults with congenital heart disease. We provide testing of pulmonary function before and after exercise, as well as thorough cardiopulmonary monitoring and testing during various types of exercise tests.

Children with heart and/or lung disease, as well as those for whom exercise ability is an important component of their diagnosis and treatment are the most often tested. The laboratory is equipped with a treadmill and bicycle ergometer, state-of-the art diagnostic equipment, and all standard resuscitative equipment. In addition, we can perform specialized ultrasound imaging of the heart during and after exercise, called exercise echocardiography, which allows our physicians to gain further insight into the heart function of patients.

For a typical patient, a test will take approximately one hour, but the actual time exercising takes only 10–15 minutes. It is important for patients to wear clothes and shoes suitable for exercising and to refrain from eating and taking medicines for at least 2 hours prior to testing.

Patients check in at the registration area of the Cardiology Clinic and then are directed to the exercise lab for testing.

Our laboratory is directed by Christopher Davis, MD, PhD and currently performs approximately 35 tests per month. 

For more information and scheduling of tests, please call the Division of Cardiology at 858-966-5855.

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