Honors Anatomy And Physiology Cystic Fibrosis - 1829 Words

Rachael Ialacci Dr. Margevicius Honors Anatomy and Physiology Disease Project - Cystic Fibrosis 15 December 2016 Cystic fibrosis is a rare, genetic, incurable disease. It affects cells that produce mucus, sweat, and digestive juices, it cause them to be thick and sticky, blocking airways, tubes, ducts, and passageways. The severity of symptoms depends on the person. Common include, cough, shortness of breath, wheezing, exercise intolerance, lung infections(pneumonia and bronchitis), inflamed nasal passages, stuff nose, inability to gain weight and grow, excessive salt in sweat, and foul-smelling, fatty stools, and severe constipation. Diagnostic tests for CF include a screening at birth(blood test), a sweat test(levels of salt), and a genetic test(chromosome 7). Cystic fibrosis is particularly abundant in European-Americans. It is also the most common in the United States. More than 75% of people with CF were diagnosed by age 2. Men and women are both equally affected. Over 30,000 people are living with CF in the United States, and over 70,000 worldwide. Between one and two people die everyday due to cystic fibrosis. The hope is for CF to become less prevalent due to the finding of a cure. The fundamental causes of cystic fibrosis is a defective, hereditary gene that one must receive from both parents. The CFTR gene, located on chromosome 7. Since cystic fibrosis is a genetic disease, the only way to cure it would be to fix the DNA that went astray. Currently,