What Is Cystic Fibrosis?

Cystic Fibrosis is a life threatening condition that causes severe damage to the lungs and digestive system. Developing this condition can change a person's entire life. Depending on the severity of the condition a person can be affected by mild symptoms such as shortness of breath, all the way to severe symptoms such as rectal prolapse, or even death. Screening is done on infants in all 50 states; therefore if a child has inherited Cystic Fibrosis it will be known in the first months of life. As professional staff members of a nursing community it will be necessary to help prepare the child and the family for the life of Cystic Fibrosis.

Cystic fibrosis is a genetic disease that is programmed in the victim’s DNA. It is passed on from parents who are both carriers of the defective gene. This genetic disorder affects the respiratory and digestive systems. People who suffer from cystic fibrosis usually inherit a defective gene on chromosome 7 called CFTR (cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator). Below is a diagram showing how cystic fibrosis is passed on from carrier parents to a child. The diagram shows that when a child is born by two parents who are both carriers of the CFTR defective gene, there is a one in four chance of being born with cystic fibrosis, there is a 2 in 4 chance of being a carrier or a 1 in

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.

A single person has two CFTR genes. They get one copy from each parent. If an adult or child has only one abnormal copy of this gene, they are a carrier of Cystic Fibrosis. A carrier simply means that they carry the trait for cystic fibrosis, and could give it to one of their children. If each parent gives a child one abnormal copy of the CFTR gene, this is when CF occurs. However if they only have one abnormal copy, the child becomes a carrier. When both parents are CF carriers, there is a 25% chance that their child will have Cystic Fibrosis.

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a disease that affects many different parts of the body. CF is often considered a lung disease, and breathing (respiratory) failure is the most serious problem related to the condition. But CF can also affect other parts of the body, including the skin, pancreas, liver, intestines, sinuses, sweat glands, and sex organs.

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

Every person inherits two CFTR genes, one from each parent. Children who inherit a faulty CFTR gene from each parent will have Cystic fibrosis. Children who inherit one faulty CFTR gene and one normal CFTR gene are "CF carriers." CF carriers usually have no symptoms of CF and live

Cystic Fibrosis (CF) also knows as (mucoviscidosis) is a single-gene disorders. This disorder is best described as an autosomal recessive of the exocrine glands. The disorder itself can be categorized as either pus- forming or hindering airflow. The responsible gene for this pulmonary disorder has been discovered to the be on the long part of the arm of chromosome 7 (Copstead & Banasik, 2013). Major signs and symptoms of CF will be associated with the gastrointestinal and respiratory system. We are able to diagnose CF though laboratory testing such as arterial blood measurements. Treatments for CF tend to be comprehensive including specialty physicians, nutritionists, physical and respiratory therapists and genetic counselors. Medicare

What is Cystic Fibrosis? Cystic Fibrosis is a progressive genetic disease that causes persistent lung infections that limits you the ability to breath. The first ever case of CF was in 1938 by Dr. Dorothy Anderson a Pathologist. He found the disease to be caused by malnutrition Dr. Dorothy called the disease “Cystic Fibrosis of the Pancreas”. Cases of this disease in the 1950s where difficult because people never lived long enough to make it to elementary school. With the advances of technology over the years people with CF live long enough to make a family and finish their careers. Over the years scientist and doctors still have not found a cure for CF. Lung cancer is one of the most serious side effects of getting CF because of mucus getting clogged up in the lungs.

Cystic Fibrosis or CF is a life threatening genetic disorder that mainly affects the lungs and digestive system. Cystic Fibrosis is most common among the Caucasian population, particularly people of northwestern European descent and is less common in people of African ancestry and is very rare in people of Asian ancestry. According to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, “an estimated 30,000 children and adults in the United States (70,000 worldwide) have CF” (Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, 2014).

According to Grossman (2005), Cystic Fibrosis also Known as “CF”, is a genetic or an inherited disorder develop due to a defect of cell protein function. An individual can inherit Cystic Fibrosis only when both parents meaning both the person’s father and mother are carriers of this dysfunctional gene. The abnormal cell protein that causes Cystic Fibrosis is known as CFTR or cystic fibrosis transmembrane regulator. This particular type of cell protein helps maintain a balanced movement of certain form of salt and water in the body’s cell. In Cystic Fibrosis, this movement of salt and water in and out of the body cells become impaired leading to a thickened mucus. The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation point out on his website that both boys and

What is Cystic Fibrosis? Dr. Polit describes Cystic Fibrosis, also referred to as CF, the most common fatal recessive genetic disease among white people. It is a hereditary disorder, also known as mucoviscidosis, which disturbs the lungs, as well as the digestive system, by blockage due to the creation of abnormally thick mucus. According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine, “This abnormal mucus can clog the airways, leading to severe problems with breathing and bacterial infections in the lungs. These infections cause chronic coughing, wheezing, and inflammation”. Due to the buildup and infections, scar tissue forms as well as lung cysts causing permanent lung damage. It is also very common for those with cystic fibrosis to suffer from digestive problems because of the blockages caused by thick, sticky mucus in the body.

Cystic Fibrosis, otherwise known as CF, is an inherited genetic disease that affects the lungs and digestive system. The disease causes a build-up of thick mucus in the lungs and other organs. Mucus clogs the airways in the lungs and “traps bacteria, leading to infections, extensive lung damage, and eventually, respiratory failure. In the pancreas, the mucus prevents the release of digestive enzymes that allow the body to break down food and absorb vital nutrients.” (#1)

There are many possibilities of how your child could have gotten Cystic Fibrosis. I have attached a chart below known as a pedigree that will explain how your child was affected. There are two ways of getting CF. Cystic Fibrosis can be gotten if the child inherits two copies of CFTR (Cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator) gene that contain mutation. Each of these have to be one copy from each of the

While cystic fibrosis (CF) is not a new disease, there is still a lot to learn about it. In 1938 a pathologist, Dr Dorothy Andersen, provided the first clear description of cystic fibrosis. Before this time there had been reports of people that had the symptoms of someone with CF. During the seventeenth century children with the symptoms of CF were thought to be bewitched and their life expectancy was very short. Dr Dorothy Andersen gave this disease its name because cystic fibrosis refers to the scarring that is found on the pancreas. People with CF also have associated diseases like salt-loss syndrome, obstructive azoospermia, and gastrointestinal abnormalities. CF is inherited from one’s parents, making it a genetic disease. CF is