Cystic Fibrosis
Definition
Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a hereditary disease that affects the lungs, digestive system, sweat glands, and male reproductive organs.
Description
Cystic fibrosis affects the body's ability to move salts and water in and out of cells. This defect causes the lungs and pancreas to secrete (release) thick mucus. The mucus blocks various passageways in the body, preventing them from functioning normally.
CF affects about thirty thousand children and young adults in the United States. About three thousand babies are born with the condition each year in this country. The disorder primarily affects people of white, northern European ancestry. Nonwhite populations have a much lower rate of cystic fibrosis.
There is no cure for CF. However, symptoms of the disease can be treated. Proper care and treatment can greatly improve the lifestyle of a person with the condition. For example, prompt attention to digestive and respiratory (breathing) problems has extended the lives of many patients. At one time, children with CF usually died by the age of two years. Today, many people with CF live beyond the age of thirty.
Causes
Cystic fibrosis is a genetic disorder. Genes are the chemical units in every cell that tell cells what functions they should perform and what substances they should manufacture in order to operate normally.
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