CPFT Practice Exam 2025 – Complete Test Prep Guide

The pulmonary function test that measures the response of the airways to bronchodilation is indeed bronchodilator response testing. This test specifically evaluates how the airways react when bronchodilators, medications that dilate the airways, are administered.

During this test, baseline lung function measurements are taken, typically using spirometry to assess values such as forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) and forced vital capacity (FVC) before and after the administration of a bronchodilator. The changes in these measurements help determine the degree of airway obstruction and the reversibility of that obstruction, which is crucial for diagnosing conditions like asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

In contrast, forced vital capacity testing measures the total volume of air that can be forcibly exhaled after a deep breath but does not specifically assess the effect of bronchodilation. Diffusing capacity testing assesses how well oxygen and carbon dioxide can exchange between the lungs and the blood but is unrelated to bronchodilator response. Static lung volume measurement focuses on determining lung volumes without the influence of airflow dynamics, and it does not provide insight into the response to bronchodilators. Thus, bronchodilator response testing is the correct choice for assessing the effects