Cystic Fibrosis
Cystic fibrosis is described as a “congenital disorder affecting exocrine gland function, with respiratory effects, including excessive secretions, obstruction of the bronchial system, infection, and tissue damage” (Kowalczyk, 2014). Cystic fibrosis is also known as CF, and is the most common lethal disease in white children (Kowalczyk, 2014).
People whom have CF have “histologically” normal lungs at birth. Lung damage occurs when secretions from the enlarged bronchial glands gradually increase; this leads to the obstruction of the bronchial system (Kowalczyk, 2014). Mucus clogs the airways and this “plugging” promotes infection such as staph which causes more tissue damage; it also causes atelectasis and emphysema. Once this destructive cycle starts, it is very difficult to stop and ultimately results in respiratory failure (Cystic Fibrosis Foundation). Doctors will follow the diseases progression by chest x-ray; it will show the "gradual worsening of structural abnormalities" (Kowalczyk, 2014). CF does not just affect the respiratory system, but also affects the exocrine system. Parts of the exocrine system affected are salivary glands, the small bowel, pancreas, biliary tract, a female’s cervix, and the male genital system (Kowalczyk, 2014). The mucus in the pancreas stops the release of digestive enzymes; these digestive enzymes are imperative for the body to break down food and absorb nutrients (Cystic Fibrosis Foundation). Mucus can also cause liver
Nearly 1 in every 30 Americans are a carrier of the recessive gene that leads to CF (About Cystic Fibrosis, n.d.). Although CF is a life-threatening condition, through the advancement of treatments and care, there has been a steady increase in life expectancy and improvement in the quality of life. The current mean age of survival is now 40. Although that does not seem very high, sixty years ago, a child diagnosed with CF did not survive childhood (About Cystic Fibrosis, n.d.). CF is a complex disease, where the types and severity of symptoms can differ widely from person to person. Symptoms may include fatigue, salty-tasting skin, persistent cough with phlegm, wheezing and shortness of breath, lung infections, and poor growth and weight loss (Cystic Fibrosis Symptoms, Causes & Risk Factors, 2018). Many different factors, such as the age of diagnosis, can affect an individual's health and the course of the
With CF people lack the special enzyme to break up mucous. Without the mucous breaking up the person cannot breathe because the lungs are filled. In life the body cannot function with enough oxygen.
Cystic Fibrosis (CF) is a genetic disorder in which mucus glands produce abnormally thick secretions. These secretions can lead to chronic infections of the lungs and eventually lead to obstruction of the pancreas, resulting in digestive enzyme deficiency, the liver is also sometimes affected. Secretions from the sweat and salivary glands of a CF patient frequently contain abnormally high amounts of sodium and chloride. Because the body produces a high amount of salt, a sweat test is generally used to diagnose the disorder.
Cystic Fibrosis, also known as CF, is one of the most common life-threatening genetic disorders found in people. Discovered in 1938 by Dr. Dorothy Hansine Andersen, Cystic Fibrosis severely affects two parts of the human body, including the respiratory system and the digestive system. Cystic Fibrosis causes the mucus glands to secrete very thick and sticky mucus. This mucus then clogs the tiny air passages and traps bacteria in the lungs. The thick mucus also stops the release of digestive enzymes in the pancreas from reaching the small intestine. According to Cystic Fibrosis Queensland (2015) more than one million Australians carry the Cystic Fibrosis Gene, with one in every 25 people, often not realising they are carrying the deadly gene.
Cystic Fibrosis is a genetic disease which is progressive and limits breathing ability. The lungs and other organs are affected by a thick buildup of mucus. This mucus traps bacteria which leads lung damage, infections, and respiratory failure. The digestive enzymes being released is prevented, affecting the breakdown of food and nutrients being absorbed. ?More than 30,000 children and adults in the United States have Cystic Fibrosis. 70,000 people worldwide.? (Diagnosed With Cystic Fibrosis, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation) Someone who has Cystic Fibrosis have a defective gene from each parent which produces faulty protein. The CFTR gene is the gene that is mutated causing this. The channel that transports chloride in and out of cells is created by instructions that are created by CFTR gene. The regulation of chloride ions and water are prevented creating the thick mucus formed on the passageways of lungs, pancreas, and other organs. Cystic Fibrosis doesn?t cause learning problems are mobility of the person. Babies with this still develop and grow up normally. The average life expectancy is close to 40 years, and has been increasing in the last fifty years thanks to improved care. ?Chronic coughing, recurring chest colds, wheezing, shortness of breath, frequent sinus infections, and allergies that last all year, are the most common symptoms of Cystic Fibrosis.? (Cystic Fibrosis Symptoms) Since this disease is progressive
With the body’s inability to appropriately secrete the necessary digestive enzymes for proper function, young patients with CF usually have problems with absorbing fats, certain proteins, and fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K. Digestive problems can lead to conditions such as diarrhea, malnutrition, poor growth, and weight loss. In adolescence or adulthood, insulin shortage can cause a form of diabetes known as cystic fibrosis-related diabetes mellitus, which consumes approximately 35% of adolescent population with cystic fibrosis (Cystic Fibrosis). Mucus plays a huge role in the reproductive systems as well, but due to the harsh mutated texture of the mucus in patients with cystic fibrosis, problems in male and female patients appear slightly differently.
This mucus build up also causes wheezing and difficulty breathing. Recently, it has become more common for individuals with cystic fibrosis to receive lung transplants during the end stages of lung disease. As mentioned, the symptoms of cystic fibrosis are life threatening, and the majority of deaths are the result of respiratory failure after battling lung diseases and infections that come as a result of the mucus build up. The life expectancy for an individual with cystic fibrosis ranges in the mid-thirties. Another symptom that comes as a result of cystic fibrosis is digestive issues. The thick mucus that affects the respiratory tract also often blocks the tubes that are crucial to digestion because they carry digestive enzymes. Without these digestive enzymes being transported to the small intestine, individuals with cystic fibrosis cannot fully absorb the nutrients they eat. These digestive issues lead to reduced weight gain and growth in individuals with cystic fibrosis as well as severe constipation. In some cases, the large intestine may begin to protrude, a symptom referred to as rectal prolapse, and may need to
Cystic Fibrosis affects 1 in every 2,500 children at birth. (ncbi.nlm.nih.gov) Cystic Fibrosis, or CF, is a genetic disorder. A genetic disorder is inherited, and is contributed to by both parents. (lung.org) Each parent has one abnormal gene. (lung.org) Cystic Fibrosis is where the body can not make, or it makes an abnormal version of the CFTR protein. CFTR is also known as cystic fibrosis transmembrane regulator. There are several symptoms, and causes of Cystic Fibrosis. These symptoms are diagnosed, according to what causes CF. Cystic Fibrosis is an inherited disease, that when after diagnosed, doctors will suggest treatments to help with the condition. Cystic Fibrosis is most common in white infants, but can
Cystic fibrosis is an inherited disorder that affects many functions of the body: breathing, digestion, and reproduction. The lifelong illness usually gets more severe with age and can affect both males and female equally. The symptoms and severity of cystic fibrosis differ from person to person. Most patients have both respiratory and digestive problems, while others only have respiratory problems. Intelligence is not affected in people with CF.
Cystic Fibrosis (CF) is a common genetic disorder that affects the exocrine gland in the lungs, liver, pancreas, and intestines causing progressive disability due to multisystem failure. It is also known as “mucoviscidosis because of the mucus that builds up and blocks the respiratory system and pancreas”(Bedwell). Cystic Fibrosis affects the cells that produce mucus, sweat, and digestive juices. It causes these fluids to become thick and sticky. With them becoming so thick and sticky they can plug up tubes, duct, and passageways. Unfortunately, there is no real cure for Cystic Fibrosis. “Although, the new developments in treatment and management, the 50 percent survival rate from the 1970’s has greatly improved, allowing patients to continue to live their lives longer than ever expected in the past. New developments in prevention of exacerbations, therapy drugs and methods to preserve
Cystic fibrosis is a disease that is continually affecting children and adults in the United States. This is an inherited and life-threatening disease which affects many organs in the body. According to the Center for Disease Control, there are an estimated 30,000 people affected by this disease today. There are also approximately 2,500 babies born each year with Cystic fibrosis and unfortunately there are millions of people unaware they even carry the gene for this disease.
In this paper, I will talk about the symptoms, diagnosis, research, and how to live with Cystic Fibrosis. Cystic Fibrosis is a genetic disease of the secretory glands, which are the glands that make mucus and sweat, and mainly affects the lungs, pancreas, liver, intestines, sinuses, and sex organs.
Cystic Fibrosis, a very serious inherited genetic disease, is also known as CF and sixty-five roses. This disease affects one in every 3,000 live births. It may first appear in a newborn, but can appear all the way up until a young adult. However, ten percent of most cases are apparent at birth. CF affects the lungs and causes a build-up of abnormally thick mucus which leads to chest infections, and CF also affects the reproductive system. Doctors do not know what causes the mucus to thicken. CF’s infections usually lead to death in childhood and early adulthood. Most people infected with CF had a life span into their teens long ago. Now, due to advanced technology, the life span is in the fifties or older.
Cystic fibrosis, also known as CF, affects over 30,000 children and adults world-wide. CF is a disease in the lungs and digestive system and is still incurable today. It is a disease that causes thick, abnormal mucus in the lungs, nasal polyps, fatigue, and can also damage organs in a person’s body. According to www.cff.org/aboutcf, over 70% of CF patients are diagnosed at two years of age. Cystic fibrosis is one of the most life-threatening diseases in the United States and is very common amongst chronic diseases. Cystic fibrosis is most commonly diagnosed in young children and sometimes adults.
Kaneshiro describes cystic Fibrosis as a system wide disease process that affects the mucous production of organs from the time of birth, most commonly affecting the lungs and intestines (2014). He goes on to say that this is a hereditary disease that is most commonly found in the first 2 years of a child’s life and the symptoms start out as mild and can be easily overlooked, which accounts for the late diagnosis even though the disease started at birth (2014). The most common early life symptoms include a lack of stools in the first couple of days after birth and salty tasting skin though as the child ages there is a significant lack of developmental growth and lack of weight gain along with frequent respiratory infections and constipation (Kaneshiro, 2014). The life expectancy of a child with CF currently is at around 37 years old when that child receives extensive early treatment for the side effects of CF, though there is no cure at this time, though the treatments are getting more effective every year (Kaneshiro, 2014).