Dry powder pharmaceutical formulations for pulmonary or nasal administration are made to provide an improved respired dose. These formulations may be blends of milled blends and may include a phospholipid, alone or in combination with other excipient materials. In one case, the process includes the steps of (a) providing particles which comprise a pharmaceutical agent, (b) blending the particles with particles of at least one first excipient to form a first powder blend; (c) milling the first powder blend to form a milled blend which comprises microparticles or nanoparticles of the pharmaceutical agent; and (d) blending the milled blend with particles of a second excipient to form a blended dry powder blend pharmaceutical formulation suitable for pulmonary or nasal administration.