Spirometry and Pre- and Post-Bronchodilator Testing

Also known as: spirometry and pre and post.

What is spirometry and pre- and post-bronchodilator testing?

Spirometry is a common breathing test that measures the maximum force of a patient’s breath after inhalation and exhalation. Patients with asthma or other breathing problems may perform spirometry pre- and post-bronchodilator in order to examine the effectiveness of the medication on their breathing problems.

What happens during the procedure?

With a breathing apparatus in place, the patient will take a maximum inhalation, release maximum exhalation and then continue to exhale afterward. Then the patient will be treated with a bronchodilator. Finally, the spirometry test is repeated to determine how much the bronchodilator medication helped with breathing.

Is any special preparation needed?

No special preparation is needed for this test.

What are the risk factors?

There are no significant risks related to this test.


Reviewed by: Antonio Rodriguez, MD

This page was last updated on: December 19, 2019 04:02 PM