Cystic Fibrosis is an autosomal recessive genetic disease affecting the exocrine glands and progressively gets worse over time. The production of unusually thick mucus is formed causing blockages of the pancreatic ducts, intestines, and bronchi. Though it majorly affects the respiratory and digestive systems, sweat glands and the reproductive system are affected too. “The result is malnutrition, poor growth, numerous respiratory infections and breathing difficulties” (Interactive Health Tutorials: Medline Plus). Cystic Fibrosis affects almost 30,000 Americans: it affects males and females equally. There are another 12,000 people who carry the Cystic Fibrosis gene, and can pass it to offspring if they reproduce with someone with a like gene. …show more content…
Signs, though, may not appear until teenage years or later. Symptoms can include diarrhea or bulky, foul smelling and greasy stool, frequent wheezing, chronic cough with thick mucus and poor or slowed growth. Reoccurring pneumonia can also be a warning sign that a patient has Cystic Fibrosis. Babies born with meconium ileus (intestinal blockage) have a greater chance of being diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis. Sinusitis, nasal polyps, coughing up blood and other reoccurring conditions can be brought on by Cystic Fibrosis. Liver disease, diabetes and gallstones are other disease that are most commonly diagnosed after being diagnosed with Cystic …show more content…
Physical Therapy and exercise is used to help reduce any breathing difficulties the patient may have. Supplements of vitamins are given to patients so they will not suffer from malnutrition. Other medications are also prescribed to patients to thin mucus. In highly developed Cystic Fibrosis, a lung transplant may be an option. The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation is conducting many clinical trials for patients with Cystic Fibrosis. Researchers count on patients and families with Cystic Fibrosis to help develop new therapies, and find out more about the disease. Success clinical trials give more information to researchers, which puts them one step closer to finding a cure. Cystic Fibrosis is a devastating disease affecting a person’s breathing and digestion of nutrients, but with treatment and medications, anyone diagnosed with the disease can live normally. What parents and guardians should tell any child (or person) with Cystic Fibrosis is that it is not their fault. It is a genetic disease caused by a mutated gene. One in thirty people in the United States have Cystic Fibrous, and many are caring the Cystic Fibrous gene. There are many support groups and research groups dedicated to finding a cure for the
Symptoms: • Pain in the abdomen • Burning in chest • Chest cold • Chronic cough with blood or phlegm • Pulmonary hypertension • Pneumonia Cystic Fibrosis primarily impacts the respiratory and digestive system. In any case, it might bring about different complications in the reproductive and musculoskeletal system. For example, infertility in men and women and low bone density. Patients with cystic fibrosis frequently have lung diseases caused by germs that don't react to antibiotics.
CF multi-disciplinary team also undertakes clinical research of the condition, where new treatment and therapies are constantly exploring, becoming more effective. In the clinic whilst the patients wait to be seen by medical staff, they were often asked to complete a questionnaire or to participate in the studies. Some patients volunteered to take part in a clinical trial such as a Kalydeco trial.
Along with the problems of chronic illnesses themselves, many other problems may come. Treatments and medications are just the beginning of things when it comes to problems with illnesses. With cystic fibrosis, you start out with a high number of medications and treatments to begin with. The older you get and the worse your condition gets, the more you take. (“Psychological impact,” n.d.) Many struggles come along with taking these medications and treatments. When children are first diagnosed with cystic fibrosis, they are typically very young. From the beginning, there are many medications and treatments that needed to be taken and done. Sometimes, trying to get children to take medications and treatments is like pulling teeth. The medications for cystic fibrosis are extremely important. If cystic fibrosis patients miss medica...
...a are bronchodilators like anticholinergic, beta agonists, theophylline and oxygen, which are for the advance cases of the disease. In addition, the best treatment for people whom have emphysema is for them to stop smoking.
In the Shadow of Illness, the book describes different experiences of families who have or had children with cystic fibrosis (CF). CF is an inherited disease that is passed on from the mother or father who is a carrier, but doesn’t have the condition. Doctors have figured that in this scenario, the parents are likely to have a child with CF. Individuals with CF have to take Cotazymes to help the pancreas digest food. If the person does not take these enzymes, the food goes straight through them as diarrhea. Also, the person’s lungs are affected by a thick mucus that must be removed or thinned before it clogs. Doctors recommend the patient to perform daily breathing exercises that prevent the mucus from thickening; for example, swimming
Cystic fibrosis is one of the most common lethal mutations in humans. The autosomal recessive allele is carried by 1/20 Caucasians, 1/400 couples will have children with the disease, and ¼ children will be afflicted. If untreated, 95% of affected ch ildren will die before age five (Bell, 1996).
"Cystic Fibrosis Federation Australia Quick Facts." Cystic Fibrosis Federation Australia Quick Facts. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Jan. 2014. .
Cystic Fibrosis is an inherited disease characterized by the buildup of thick, sticky mucous that can cause severe damage to the body’s organs. Mucous is usually a slippery substance that lubricates and protects the linings of the airway, digestive system, reproductive system and other organs and tissue. Problems with digestion can lead to diarrhea, malnutrition, poor growth, and weight-loss. Due to the abnormally thick mucous it can can clog airways, leading to breathing problems and bacterial infections in the lungs. Bacterial infections can lead to coughing, wheezing and inflammation. Overtime these infections can lead to permanent damage in the lungs including the formation of scar tissue, known as fibrosis and cysts in the lungs (Genetics Home Reference, 2013). The symptoms and signs of this disease vary but mostly include progressive damage to the respiratory system and chronic digestive system problems. An individuals’ lungs who are infected by cystic fibrosis have bacteria from an early stage. This bacteria can spread to the small airways, leading to the formation of bacterial micro-environments known as biofilms. Biofilms are difficult for antibodies to penetrate, therefore the bacteria repeatedly damage the lung and gradually remodel the airways, resulting in difficultly to eradicate the infection (Welsh, 1995). Cystic fibrosis patients may even have their airways chronically colonized be filamentous fungi and/or yeasts. Most men with cystic fibrosis have congenital bilateral absence of the vas deferens (CBAVD), a condition in which the tubes that carry sperm are blocked by mucous and do not develop properly. As well, women may experience complications in pregnancy. Either the c...
This couple has discussed their concerns involving the genetic possibility of their children having cystic fibrosis since a family member has this disorder.
His positive result of nasopharyngeal aspirate for Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) indicates that Liam has acute bronchiolitis, which is a viral infection (Glasper & Richardson, 2010). “Bronchiolitis is the most common reason for admission to hospital in the first 6 months of life. It describes a clinical syndrome of cough tachypnoea, feeding difficulties and respiratory crackles in chest auscultation” (Fitzgerald, 2011, p.160). Bronchiolitis can cause respiratory distress and desaturation (91% in the room air) due to airway blockage; therefore the infant appears to have nasal flaring, intercostal and subcostal retractions, and tachypnoea (54 breathes/min) during breathing (Glasper & Richardson, 2010). Tachycardia (152 beats/min) could occur due to hypoxemia and compensatory mechanism for low blood pressure (74/46mmHg) (Fitzgerald, 2011; Glasper & Richardson, 2010).
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