CF is a condition that is inherited and leads to a sticky mucus accumulating either in the digestive system or in the lungs. It mainly affects body parts such as the liver, lungs, sexual organs, and pancreas (MedlinePlus, 2016) . The illness is a genetic disorder, and therefore, people can inherit it from their parents at birth. Parents must be both carriers of the CF gene to infect the child (Pietrangelo, 2020). However, a child is not at risk of getting the disease if the parents are not carriers. The condition can lead to recurrent lung infections or damage.
The infection is a genetic infirmity caused by defective genes that impact the flow of water and salt in human cells. In addition to the faulty genes, repetitive illnesses can lead to the accumulation of thick and viscid mucus, which blocks the body's pathways and tubes, especially the digestive systems and lungs. The gene guides the CTFR proteins that enable the cells to release ions and chloride (MedlinePLus, 2012) . The CF condition makes the proteins weak, and the cells lose their ability to release chloride. Consequently, there develops an imbalance of salt in the body cells that makes the mucus become thicker and more viscid. Extensive mucus accumulation can lead to damage in the lungs, such as the formation of fibrosis and vesicles (GARD, 2017). Also, the digestive systems such as the pancreas and tract can be blocked, causing difficulties in food digestion.
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The symptoms of CF differ from person to person, depending on the acuteness of the condition. In the United States, newborns must go for a screening process to diagnose the condition early. However, people born before the emergence of the screening technology cannot be diagnosed until the condition symptoms reveal themselves. Some individuals do not experience the condition until they are teenagers or adults. Adults experience certain disease conditions such as infertility, repetitive pneumonia, and swelling in their pancreas. One of the signs, especially in children, is a strong salty taste in the skin. Many parents who have children with illnesses have witnessed the symptom when they kiss their children. Due to blockage in the air pathways, individuals can experience symptoms of wheezing, blocked sinuses and nose, breath shortness, and continuous coughs whereby a patient produces thick mucus. Also, a person can experience nausea, lack of appetite, inflamed abdomen, and obstipation (Mohamed, 2020) . The digestive problems are caused by unusual mucus, which clots the channels that transport enzymes generated in the pancreas to the small intestine.
The disease can be treated through medications and surgery to relieve its symptoms and minimize complications. Patients have been prescribed drugs, such as antibiotics, to help them eliminate the disease and avoid its future occurrence. Drugs may be in form of capsules, liquid, or tablets, but injections can be done in serious cases. The physicians prescribe drugs to patients to help make the mucus become light and less sticky so that patients can cough it out and free the lungs. Other drugs, such as ibuprofen, minimize inflammation in the airways.
Additionally, bronchodilators relax the muscles within the tunes that circulate air in the lungs; thus, increase the airflow (Mohamed, 2020) . CFTR modulators are used to improve the performance of the CFTR genes. The modulators are usually prescribed to patients older than twelve years. They help improve the performance of the defective CFTR genes and represent a vital advance in CF control because they focus on the functions of the variant genes. However, if a patient is in a critical condition, they can undergo surgery which depends on the condition affected. Bowel surgery can help reduce obstruction in the bowel. Also, a patient may be inserted with a feeding tube to supply nutrients directly to the stomach. Additionally, a lung transplant can be done to improve the patient’s quality of life.
References
GARD. (2017). Diseases: Cystic fibrosis . https://rarediseases.info.nih.gov/diseases/6233/cystic-fibrosis#:~:text=CF%20is%20inherited%20in%20an,referred%20to%20as%20a%20carrier%20.
MedlinePLus. (2012). Genetic Conditions: Cystic fibrosis . https://medlineplus.gov/genetics/condition/cystic-fibrosis/#causes
MedlinePlus. (2016, October 13). Cystic Fibrosis . https://medlineplus.gov/cysticfibrosis.html
Mohamed, A. W. (2020, December 14). Health: Cystic Fibrosis . Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/health/cystic-fibrosis
Pietrangelo, A. (2020, August 3). Cystic Fibrosis by the Numbers: Facts, Statistics, and You . Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/health/cystic-fibrosis-facts
