overview
- Normal airway versus airway with cystic fibrosis
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Cystic fibrosis (CF) is an inherited disease that causes severe damage to the lungs, digestive system, and other organs in the body. - Cystic fibrosis affects cells that produce mucus, sweat, and digestive juices. These secreted liquids are usually thin and slippery. In people with cystic fibrosis, a defective gene causes secretions to become sticky and thick. Instead of acting as a lubricant, the secretions clog tubes, ducts and passageways, especially in the lungs and pancreas.
- Although cystic fibrosis is progressive and requires daily care, people with cystic fibrosis can usually go to school and work. They often have a better quality of life than people with cystic fibrosis in the past few decades. Improvements in screening and treatment mean people with cystic fibrosis can now live in their thirties or late forties and some in their fifties. Cystic fibrosis Treatment in Nizamabad
symptom
In the United States, newborn screening allows for diagnosing cystic fibrosis within the first month of life before symptoms develop. However, people born before newborn screening becomes possible cannot be diagnosed until the signs and symptoms of cystic fibrosis appear.
The signs and symptoms of cystic fibrosis vary depending on the severity of the condition. Even in the same person, symptoms may appear or get better over time. Some people may not experience symptoms until they are teenagers or adults. People who are not diagnosed until adulthood usually have a milder condition and are more likely to have atypical symptoms such as recurrent episodes of an inflamed pancreas (pancreatitis), infertility, and recurrent pneumonia.
People with cystic fibrosis have a higher than normal salt content in their sweat. Parents can often taste the salt when they kiss their children. Most of the other signs and symptoms of cystic fibrosis affect the respiratory and digestive systems.
The reasons
In cystic fibrosis, a defect (mutation) in a gene – the Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator (CFTR) gene – changes a protein that regulates the movement of salt in and out of cells. The result is thick, sticky mucus in the respiratory, digestive, and reproductive systems and increased salt in sweat.
Many different defects can occur in the gene. The type of genetic mutation is related to the severity of the disease.
Children must inherit a copy of the gene from each parent in order to develop the disease. If children inherit just one copy, they will not develop cystic fibrosis. However, they will be carriers and could pass the gene on to their own children. Cystic fibrosis Treatment in Nizamabad
Risk factors
Because cystic fibrosis is a hereditary disease, it affects families so family history is a risk factor. Although cystic fibrosis occurs in all races, it is more common in whites of northern European descent.
prevention
- If you or your partner have close relatives with cystic fibrosis, both of you can get genetic tests done before they have children. The test, which is done on a blood sample in a laboratory, can help you determine the risk of having a child with cystic fibrosis.
- If you’re already pregnant and genetic testing shows that your baby may be at risk for cystic fibrosis, your doctor may do additional tests on your developing child.
- Genetic testing is not for everyone. Before deciding which test to take, you should speak to a genetic counselor about the psychological implications of the test results. Cystic fibrosis Treatment in Nizamabad