Cystic fibrosis Essay

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

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a lethal autosomal recessive disorder with a clinical incidence of 1 in every 3500 newborns1. Currently, over 4000 Canadians have CF, with 60% being adults2. In the past, CF was considered a fatal disease with a life expectancy of less than two years, however, advances in enzymatic and antibiotic therapy have greatly improved the life expectancy of patients afflicted with CF3. Currently, the median age of Canadian CF patients is 50 years2.

In infants symptoms include coughing, wheezing, excess mucus in the lungs, shortness of breath, extremely salty skin and decelerated growth. With infants it is very common for them to develop pneumonia infections because of all the bacteria that resides in the lungs. With treatment, most patients with cystic fibrosis live into their 20’s and 30’s, some individuals with milder cases can live longer. Death is most often due to end-stage lung disease.Thus far no cure for the disease has been found. Although, research on gene therapy is promising. Treatment is generally aimed at alleviating symptoms, preventing infections, and slowing the progress of the disorder. (Egan’s 10th Ed,

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.

While Andrea still loves the annual walk and “seeing the kids running to the finish line,” learning more about cystic fibrosis made the event meaningful, especially when they learned that a cure might be found within their lifetime.

CF is found in nearly one of every three-thousand live births. But more than eighty percent of the patients are diagnosed by age three. Today, nearly forty percent of the diagnosed inhabitants are at the age of eight-teen or older.

Like all of us, those with cystic fibrosis want to live. To experience. Gold speaks of the looming mortality that all cystic fibrosis clients are living with every day. We are all mortal, although those with this disease just know that they are more likely to live a shorter life and they want to live it to the fullest (Picard, 2000). Personal knowledge allows a nurse to better understand a client’s needs and the things we may want to do when we ourselves are a little older, the adolescent with Cystic fibrosis may want to do earlier, before they no longer have that

P., Bousona Garcia, C., & Diaz Martin, J. J. (2008). Treatment compliance with children and adults with cystic fibrosis. Journal of Cystic Fibrosis, 7(5), 359–357.

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.

Puberty is a time frame in which a person will progress from childhood into adulthood, it is commonly a time of rebellion for most individuals and widely fluctuating emotions whilst instinctual drives are heightened, particularly the aggressive and sexual drives. It is a phase where physical changes also occur in the body, processing a child, into an adult (Masterson, 1989). From childhood into adolescence, people who suffer with CF experience mal-absorption and digestive difficulties, therefore there is a hindrance of normal growth and physical development (Wolfe, 2006). Cystic fibrosis is commonly moderate to severe during childhood but as the child grows into an adolescent it is far more

The first occupation of Emily’s day affected by cystic fibrosis is rest and sleep. Nasal polyps develop inside the nose, which obstruct breathing during sleeping (Olson, 2015). In addition, Emily develops many respiratory infections that interrupt her sleeping patterns. Many days, instead of going to school, she requires to go to appointments or the hospital. The excess time spent with health care professionals prevents time spent in school plus developmentally appropriate behaviors with peers. In addition, the length of time needed to control cystic fibrosis plus physical precautions needed also interrupts play and leisure time. Work is another occupation affected by this

Cystic Fibrosis is a disease that affects the body in many ways throughout the patient's life. Newborns with Cystic Fibrosis may experience delayed growth, inability to gain weight, and salty-tasting skin ("Cystic," umm.edu 1). Older patients may be infertile, have recurring pancreatitis, and respiratory problems ("Cystic," umm.edu 2). Considering that these are just symptoms involving age, the full spectrum of ailments that afflict a patient with Cystic Fibrosis is far more taxing on a patient.

Through the years, there has been an incessant research drive to improve outcomes for patients with CF. Due to this research drive, the life expectancy of patients with CF has greatly improved over that last 50 years (Estrada-Veras & Groninger, 2013). According to Estrada-Veras and Groninger (2013), the CF patients’ median age at death in 2008 was 27 years compared to 6 months back in 1959. Additionally, Estrada-Veras and Groninger state that the increased survival is a result of the advances in the supportive care of patients, including early diagnosis, family support, attention to nutrition, infection control, and the use of nebulized mucolytics and

Cystic fibrosis is an inherited disease that ultimately leads to death. It affects every racial group worldwide, but its prevalence varies from country to country. In those with cystic fibrosis, the lungs and digestive system are primarily affected by the disease. With 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. The new developments in prevention of exacerbations, therapy drugs and methods to preserve lung function have done great things to help patients extend their lives. Education is another important aspect of treating cystic fibrosis. For example, more the

My interest in human genetic diseases, especially Cystic Fibrosis, started since I was in the school and increased when my uncle passed away in 1992 because of the CF at the age of 2 years. Increasing my knowledge, through reading several researches and following documentaries about this field, contributed to my decision that this field was going to be the career for my life path; furthermore, I could help people who carry the CF gene to have a better lifestyle and to increase their lifespan. To start with this path I decided to study abroad, in the USA, because of its research strengths.