Cystic Fibrosis Research Paper

Words: 1382
Pages: 6

In the United States “cystic fibrosis is the most common life-threatening genetic disease in the white population (Rosenstein, 2017). According to Rosenstein, 1 out of every 3,300 white births in the United States have cystic fibrosis (CF). There have been many improvements involving treatments that has increased the life expectancy resulting in many patients with CF becoming adults. There are both genetic and environmental risks associated with cystic fibrosis. It can be carried as an autosomal recessive trait. The CFTR gene is passed down from the parents if both the mom and dad carry the gene. This is the gene that controls the production of protein and pumps chloride ions into secretions. This can lead to the congestion of the intestines, …show more content…
CF is equally common in both males and females. Parents can test their genes to determine if they are carriers of the CFTR recessive gene. If there is one or none from each parent the child will not have CF, but if both parents are carrying the same gene there is a 1 in 4 chance the baby will have the disease (Genetics, 2018). There are now prenatal screenings that can be used while a woman is pregnant to show if the baby has the disease. Once a child is born there are several symptoms that raise flags for CF. This includes breathing problems, coughing, barrel-chest deformity, digestive problems, weight problems, and stunted growth. Once these problems are assessed, a sweat test can be performed to measure the amount of salt in the patients sweat. If the concentration of salt is higher than normal, the patient will be diagnosed with …show more content…
CF affects the exocrine glands that produce thin secretions like mucus, sweat, tears, and digestive juices. CF makes the mucus thick and sticky which can interfere with the usual functioning of systems in the body. Sweat glands, respiratory system, digestive system, and reproductive system are most affected by CF. The sweat glands lose too much salt and can cause problems during times of increased sweating and exercise. In the respiratory system mucus cannot be moved out of the small passage ways, this causes breathing problems and can cause infections in the lungs. The digestive systems main function is to digest food. A person with CF has blocks that prevent the enzymes from reaching the small intestine and cannot digest food. This can lead to poor absorption and lack of nutrients. It can also affect the reproductive system in both men and women. With men sometimes, the semen may contain no sperm and in women the blockages can prevent the sperm from reaching the eggs for fertilization (University of Wisconsin,