Cystic Fibrosis Research Paper
Cystic Fibrosis
Julie LeBeau
Mildred-Elley
BIO 210
February 20, 2014 Cystic Fibrosis
Cystic Fibrosis is a fatal genetic disorder that effect’s many organ systems in the body. It is estimated that CF effects 30,000 adults and children in the United States, with approximately 1,000 new cases diagnosed each year. Cystic Fibrosis is most prevalent among white but affects all ethnic groups. Cystic Fibrosis results from an autosomal recessive gene mutation of the Cystic Fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) protein located on chromosome 7. The CFTR gene makes a protein that controls the movement of salt and water in an out of your body’s cells. Normally secretions from the body’s exocrine glands (sweat, tears, saliva, …show more content…
Children who inherit a faulty CFTR gene from each parent will have CF. 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 normal lives, however they can pass the faulty CFTR gene to their children.
Signs & Symptoms
One of the first signs of CF that parents may notice is that their baby’s skin tastes salty when kissed, or the baby doesn’t pass stool when first born. CF signs and symptoms vary, depending on the severity of the disease. Even in the same person, symptoms may worsen or improve as time passes. In some children, symptoms begins during infancy others may not experience any symptoms til adolescence or adulthood.
Some respiratory signs include thick salty mucus clogging the tubes that carry air in and out of our lungs. This can cause, a persistent cough that produces mucus, wheezing, breathlessness, and repeated lung infections. Respiratory complications include, bronchiectasis, chronic infections, nasal polyps, pneumothorax, collapsed lung, respiratory failure and coughing up …show more content…
Goals of treatment include preventing and controlling lung infections, loosening and removing mucus from the lungs, preventing and treating intestinal blockage and providing adequate diet. There are antibiotics to treat and prevent lung infections, anti- inflammatory medications to help reduce the swelling in your airways due to infections. You may need pulmonary rehabilitation such as exercise training, nutritional counseling, breathing strategies and psychological counseling or group support. They may need mucus thinning drugs to improve lung function, or a bronchodilator which opens your airways to breathe better or an oral pancreatic enzyme to help digest fats and proteins and absorb more vitamins. Once you find out you have CF you and your doctor will come up with a plan to help you handle your Cystic
Julie LeBeau
Mildred-Elley
BIO 210
February 20, 2014 Cystic Fibrosis
Cystic Fibrosis is a fatal genetic disorder that effect’s many organ systems in the body. It is estimated that CF effects 30,000 adults and children in the United States, with approximately 1,000 new cases diagnosed each year. Cystic Fibrosis is most prevalent among white but affects all ethnic groups. Cystic Fibrosis results from an autosomal recessive gene mutation of the Cystic Fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) protein located on chromosome 7. The CFTR gene makes a protein that controls the movement of salt and water in an out of your body’s cells. Normally secretions from the body’s exocrine glands (sweat, tears, saliva, …show more content…
Children who inherit a faulty CFTR gene from each parent will have CF. 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 normal lives, however they can pass the faulty CFTR gene to their children.
Signs & Symptoms
One of the first signs of CF that parents may notice is that their baby’s skin tastes salty when kissed, or the baby doesn’t pass stool when first born. CF signs and symptoms vary, depending on the severity of the disease. Even in the same person, symptoms may worsen or improve as time passes. In some children, symptoms begins during infancy others may not experience any symptoms til adolescence or adulthood.
Some respiratory signs include thick salty mucus clogging the tubes that carry air in and out of our lungs. This can cause, a persistent cough that produces mucus, wheezing, breathlessness, and repeated lung infections. Respiratory complications include, bronchiectasis, chronic infections, nasal polyps, pneumothorax, collapsed lung, respiratory failure and coughing up …show more content…
Goals of treatment include preventing and controlling lung infections, loosening and removing mucus from the lungs, preventing and treating intestinal blockage and providing adequate diet. There are antibiotics to treat and prevent lung infections, anti- inflammatory medications to help reduce the swelling in your airways due to infections. You may need pulmonary rehabilitation such as exercise training, nutritional counseling, breathing strategies and psychological counseling or group support. They may need mucus thinning drugs to improve lung function, or a bronchodilator which opens your airways to breathe better or an oral pancreatic enzyme to help digest fats and proteins and absorb more vitamins. Once you find out you have CF you and your doctor will come up with a plan to help you handle your Cystic