Ergometrics or exercise test is a fundamental diagnostic technique used mainly to diagnose angina in patients with chest pain and to evaluate how the heart responds to exercise.

It is used in coronary diseases to detect cardiovascular alterations that are not present while the patient is at rest but may occur during physical exercise.

If there is a coronary obstruction, it will result in a lack of blood supply and the onset of angina and/or alterations in the electrocardiogram. In addition to improving the precision of a diagnosis, ergometrics is also useful for estimating the prognosis and capacity for physical exercise and evaluating the effect of treatment on patients already diagnosed with coronary disease. It is also used to ensure the absence of arrhythmias and coronary disorders in athletes under conditions of extreme stress and to determine the anaerobic threshold so as to plan training accordingly.