| Millions of people all over the
world are affected by the disease
Cystic Fibrosis.
Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a hereditary disease that can be characterized
by a number of unique symptoms.
Complications in patients with CF are often seen in four main areas in
the body: the respiratory tract, gastrointestinal tract,
reproductive tract, and the sweat glands. |
 The Lungs |
| CF dominantly targets the respiratory system. Most patients experience respiratory problems very early after being diagnosed. One of the most common symptoms of CF is the development of thick green mucus in the lungs. The buildup of thick mucus leads to the patients having to constantly cough in order to clear their lungs so breathing does not become severely difficult. With the constant production of mucus, CF patients are very susceptible to infection. This leads to illnesses such as Bronchitis and Pneumonia. Bronchitis causes a patients body to make excess amounts of mucus which causes the airways to become blocked with the swelling of the bronchi. Pneumonia is caused by the on set of bacteria growth in the lungs. The bacteria in the lungs begins to form when the airways are dehydrated and have abnormal mucus in them. Bronchitis and Pneumonia both cause Bronchiectasis. Bronchiectasis is the expanding of the lungs and the most common cause of death in CF patients (1). |
 The Intestines |
| The organs in the gastrointestinal tract that experience the most damage are the pancreas and the intestines. pancreatic failure from CF is due to the majority of the tissue being deteriorated. Destruction of the pancreas inevitably leads to patients having trouble with nourishment and growth. In both the small and large intestines, complications are mainly from the destruction of the epithelial cells. The side effects most often seen from the deterioration of the intestines is that patients produce stools that appear greasy. This is due to the patient's body not being able to retain vitamins so the body flushes them out. |
 Reproduction |
| Patients with CF also suffer from complications in the reproductive tract. Although both experience puberty at later ages, the complications for men and women with CF differ significantly in reproduction. Men with CF experience an infertility rate of 95% and women 20% (1). CF causes men to have a lack of sperm in their semen, and women experience infertility because of the vast amounts of mucus that their body produces. The mucus acts as a barrier on their cervix, which does not allow sperm to enter. |
 Sweat Glands |
|
Patients with CF have extremely large amounts of salt (NaCl) in their
sweat. With such high amounts of salt being lost, patients with
the disease often experience a number
of symptoms. These symptoms include an imbalance in minerals in the blood,
abnormal heart rhythms, and the
possibility of shock (2). The symptoms that patients with
Cystic Fibrosis experience, is an
everyday struggle. CF is associated with the painful conditions that
are a result of the complications of
the disease (3). The millions of people that are affected by this disease face the
reality of living with their symptoms
and hope that a cure will soon be discovered. |
References
|