Zusammenfassung der Ressource
Cystic Fibrosis
- What is cystic fibrosis?
- Cystic fibrosis is a genetic
condition in which the lungs and
digestive system become clogged
with thick sticky mucus
- Cystic fibrosis is caused by a
genetic mutation; specifically a
mutation in a gene called CFTR
- A genetic mutation is when the
instructions found in all living cells
become scrambled in some way,
meaning that one or more of the
processes of the body do not work
in the way they should.
- The CFTR mutation allows too
much salt and water into cells.
This results in a build-up of thick,
sticky mucus in the body's tubes
and passageways. These
blockages damage the lungs,
digestive system and other
organs, resulting in the
symptoms of cystic fibrosis.
- Symtoms
- Persistent cough
- Recurring chest
and lung infections
- Poor weight gain
- Treatment
- There is no cure, so
the aim is to ease
the symptoms
- bronchodilators – expands the
airways inside the lungs
making it easier to breathe
- antibiotics – to treat chest and lung infections
- physiotherapy – there are a range
of exercises that can help clear
mucus from the lungs
- Diagnosis
- Screenings are done of
the internal organs
- Cystic fibrosis (CF) may be
suspected in a child who
shows poor growth, has
repeated respiratory or
sinus infections, or both
- The standard diagnostic test
for cystic fibrosis is the
quantitative sweat chloride
test, or "sweat test," which
measures the amount of salt
in the sweat.