[The History and Clinical Importance of Cardiopulmonary Assessment of Working Fitness with Special Reference to Spiroergometry]

Spiroergometry-a synonym for ergospirometry or ergospirography - is a diagnostic procedure to continuously registrate respiration and gas metabolism during ergometer exercise. It enables to judge function and performance capacity of the cardiopulmonary system and metabolism. Spiroergometry is made up of the two components spirometry and ergometry. The first attempts to measure human gas metabolism while performing a quantified physical work can be traced back to the year 1789. The development of procedures to measure gas metabolism and respiration as well as the construction of ergometers in the 19th and 20th century are described. 1929 saw the introduction of spiroergometry and routinely performed clinical performance diagnosis. But not until the 1950s was the first spiroergometric apparatus which met all scientific requirements developed. In a historical frame, the used parameters and the physiological and pathophysiological findings by spiroergometry are given. Numerous medical fields have profited from the technique of spiroergometry: cardiology, pulmonology, sports medicine, performance physiology, biochemistry, clinical pharmacology, surgery, orthopedics, pediatrics, gerontology, etc. besides such global disciplines as preventive medicine, exercise therapy, and rehabilitative medicine.