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Cystic Fibrosis

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Submitted By annaromelia1
Words 2597
Pages 11
Anna Beeck
The Need to Breath
Physiology 310 - Section 3
T.A. - Sheree Speckman
November 15, 2011

Introduction:
Cystic Fibrosis is one of the most common chronic lung diseases in children and young adults. It is an inherited deadly disorder that affects Caucasians in the United States. Cystic fibrosis of CF is a disease that is caused by a defected gene, which causes the lungs to build up with an abnormally thick and sticky fluid, or mucus. This mucus affects the lungs obstructing breathing along with also affecting the pancreas, causing poor absorption of nutrients. For my family Cystic Fibrosis is a well-known disease, because my Aunt Rae Ellen died of it back in 1962. The history of Cystic Fibrosis dates back into the mid-17th century where it was first known as a child who had become bewitched. Advances in cystic fibrosis began to pick up in the 1940s. Children with CF are normally diagnosed by the age of 2 and now can live to around the age of 40. There are many different symptoms that come along with this disease. There are different symptoms related to newborns, bowel functions, lungs, and later in life. The most common symptoms seem to be coughing or increased mucus in the lungs and salty-tasting skin. People with cystic fibrosis have mutations on the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene, which reduces the ability of chloride ions to travel across cell membranes. There is no way to prevent Cystic Fibrosis but there are ways to deal with it and have a quality life with it. It just needs to be carefully monitored. There is no cure for Cystic Fibrosis but there are many different treatments out there to help deal with the problems that come along with it. Some treatments help symptoms of the pancreas these include such things as vitamin supplements, and special diets. While some treatments help with lung

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