Aim — to determine cardiopulmonary exercise test data associated with increased risk of cardiovascular complications in elective abdominal surgery. Material and methods. There were 270 consequent patients over 18 years old who underwent ergospirometry before elective abdominal surgery. Following cardiac complications were considered intraoperatively and within 30 days after surgery: cardiovascular death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, acute cerebrovascular accident, angina pectoris, ventricular rhythm disturbances requiring additional therapy, persistent paroxysms of supraventricular tachycardia, atrial fibrillation or flutter. Results. There were 89 cardiac complications in 81 patients including 18 (6.7%) myocardial infarctions, 6 (2.2%) strokes, 6 (2.2%) patients died from cardiovascular cause. Patients with different cardiovascular complications had significantly lower exercise tolerance (4.2 METs vs. 5.6 METs; p=0.018), peak oxygen consumption (14.3 ml/kg/min vs. 18.9 ml/kg/min; p=0.021), oxygen consumption after anaerobic threshold achievement (10.8 ml/kg/min vs. 14.0 ml/kg/min; p=0.035), as well as lower «oxygen pulse» (11.7 ml/kg/min vs. 15.2 ml/kg/min; p=0.03). Conclusion. According to ergospirometry, increased risk of perioperative cardiovascular complications in elective abdominal surgery is associated with lower rates of exercise tolerance, peak oxygen consumption, anaerobic threshold level and value of «oxygen pulse», higher heart rate augmentation within the first minute of exercise test.