Cystic Fibrosis

This link contains where is gathered the following information!
http://www.cff.org/AboutCF/

1. What are the signs and symptoms of cystic fibrosis?
The symptoms and signs of cystic fibrosis are salty-tasting skin, persistent caughing, frequent lun infections, shortness of breath or wheezing, poor growth, weight gain, and or bulky stools.

2. How common is this disorder?
In about 1,000 cases of cystic fibrosis are diagnosed every year. I would say this is quite a bit. More then 45 percent of these patients are ages 18 and older. Over 70 percent of patients diagnosed are by the age of two. The median ages of a survival for a person that has CF is in the late 30`s.

3. How can you diagnose CF?
 Cystic fibrosis is diagnosed by the clogging of the lungs that leads to life-threatening lung infections. Also obstruction to the pancreas that stops natural enzymes from breaking down or absorbing food in the body.

4. How is cystic fibrosis inherited? Does everyone who had a mutant gene for the protein have cystic fibrosis?
Cystic fibrosis is an ingherited chronic disease affecting the lungs and digestive system of 30,000 children and adults in the U.S. (70,000 world wide) 10 million Americans are carriers of the defective gene that show no symptoms the having CF. The product of the defective gene and the product cause the body to produce think sticky mucus.


http://resources.schoolscience.co.uk/MRC/3/page3.html

1. Explain the normal function of the protein that is defective in Cystic fibrosis.
The CF transmembrane regulator (CFTR) protein makes the chloride channel. This proteins normal function controls the flow of chloride ions from the cell.

2. What happens to this protein in CF patients and what are the consequences for the health of these individuals?
A person with CF has the cital chloride channel blocked. There is no movement of chloride ions in to the mucus and the mucus starts to dry out.

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/cystic-fibrosis/DS00287

1. Explain at least 3 treatments for the symptoms of cystic fibrosis.
Three treatments for CF are Antibiotics, Mucus-thinning drugs, and therapy. The antibiotics are the drugs that help prevent lung infections. These can be swallowed in pill form, inhaled in mis or delivered intravenously. Mucus-thinning drugs reduce the stickiness of the mucus to it makes caughing it up easier, helping the lung infection properly. Therapy helps physically remoce the thick mucus from the lungs. By patting on the back and front chest with cupped hands also helps get it out.

2. Discuss at least 3 ways for parents to help their children who have cystic fibrosis.
Parents that have children with cystic fibrosis should have their child exercise, drink lots of fluids, and keep immunizations up to date. Exercise helps loosen mucus that is in the airways and helps strengthen the heart and lungs. Anything that gets the child moving would help loosen up that mucus. Keeping immunizations up to date such as the influenza vaccines help very much because although CF doesn`t affect the immune system the child still more likely to develope complications when becoming sick.


http://madeyfaceeckhart.blogspot.com/2011/11/cystic-fibrosis.html

I refered alot to Madey Eckharts blog on this specific topic because I was completely confused! She helped my understanding:) Thanx Madey