The measurement oflactate is straightforward and reliable. The sampling is normal ly dependable, although discrepancies between sample sites can occur if samples are drawn during other than steady state conditions or when blood flow to the site is low. Comparison of data between subjects should consider intra- and interindividu al variation. Interpretation of the significance of blood or even a muscle lactate concentration is extremely difficult and neither can be assumed to reflect rates of lactate release or production. Lactate metabolism appears to be very significant in short-term, high...

Exercise testing is widely used all over the world to assess functional capacity in athletes, healthy subjects and patients. According to recent surveys, the interest in ergometry is still growing in almost all fields of medicine, especially in private practice. Furthermore, there has been an exponential growth in the number of publications on exercise testing in the last years. Several consensus and task force conferences have dealt with exercise testing and published recommendations on standardization and guidelines in ergometry. These factors have, in combination, initiated an upsurge in...