Thick Mucus In The Lungs example essay topic

Cystic Fibrosis Cystic Fibrosis is a genetic disease that causes the body's lungs to generate a different type of mucus than a non-infected body would. The contaminated lungs will produce mucus that is thick and adhesive which clogs the lungs and leads to an unpleasant and abhorrent lung infection. CF also interferes with the pancreas, disallowing the digestive enzymes from breaking down and absorbing food in the intestine. This can result in low nutrition, feeble growth, excessive sweat production, difficulties in breathing, and sometimes lung disease. When producing extra sweat and mucus, the body loses salt.

If too much salt is lost, it can cause abnormal heart rhythms, disturbance of minerals in the blood, and perhaps, shock. Children, as well as Adults can also be affected by this disease. Some afflicted infants usually show symptoms of the disease in its early life stages. Yet, others may experience the horrid and hazardous conditions later in life. The types of infections range differently between each person. There are more than a thousand mutations of the CF gene.

Considering that Cystic Fibrosis is a genetic disorder, it can only be inherited by an individuals DNA. The only possible way to transmit the mutation to the offspring is if both parents are either carriers or already infected by the disease. Once two carriers produce an offspring, there is a twenty-five percent chance that their child will have Cystic Fibrosis; a fifty percent chance that the child will be a carrier of the gene; and a twenty-five percent chance that the child will be a non-carrier. CF is found in nearly one of every three-thousand live births. But more than eighty percent of the patients are diagnosed by age three.

Today, nearly forty percent of the diagnosed inhabitants are at the age of eight-teen or older. Today, there is no cure for Cystic Fibrosis, but if the disease is found in an individual early enough, the patient can be recovered. About 85 to 90% of patients will have problems absorbing nutrients from their intestines. And because enzymes are lost when diagnosed, enzyme supplements are required to prevent bad nutrition and malnutrition.

There are two main body parts that can be cared for the treatment of Cystic Fibrosis: The lungs and the chest. Lung problems can also be treated, but not cured. Antibiotics and other drugs may loosen the thick mucus in the lungs, but if it fails, a transplant lung may help to extend life. But about four hundred people die each year while waiting for a lung transplant. Also Chest physical therapy is a technique done by vigorous claps on the back and chest to loosen the thick mucus from the lungs.

The average lifespan of an individual with CF is about thirty years. In the U. S alone there are about thirty thousand, who are carriers of the disease, and about 2,500 babies are born with it each year. About five percent of the Americans are unaffected carriers who may discover symptoms later in their lifetime. CF occurs mainly in Caucasians with a Northern European heredity (1 in 3,300), and in some Native Americans (1 in 4,000).

Also it is diagnosed in both men and women equally. But the detection rate depends on the person's ethnic background. Basically, the detection rate for the Caucasian population is around ninety percent, ninety seven percent for the Ashkenazi Jewish population, fifty seven percent for Hispanics, seventy five percent for African-Americans, and thirty percent for Asians. The detection rate will be different in certain geographical areas and populations for Cystic Fibrosis. Three main body systems are affected when an individual carries the mutated CF gene: The Respiratory System, The Digestive System, and the Reproductive System. In the Respiratory System the lungs undergo a different transport system and cause the cells to absorb too much sodium and water.

Also the airway in the lungs is clogged by mucus and may cause lung disease. Secondly in the Digestive System the flow to the pancreas is also blocked by the thick mucus. This will cause the enzymes to be blocked and be blocked off and unable to help the digestive process. Lastly, CF affects the Reproductive system by causing an obstruction of the sperm canal and cause males to become sterile.

This is a result from the abnormal transport of cells. But most males will not receive the symptoms until their offspring are born. But unlike men, women will still be able to produce offspring later in life even if they have CF. Two years ago a small baby girl was born by the parents of Ed and Joanne Owen. After minutes of her arrival the doctors had noticed an unusually swollen stomach and they took Ella away for some testing.

After her first bowel moment, it had become clear that Ella was born with CF. Her parents were shocked, but unaware of the condition. Ed and Joanne had taken twelve months to fully understand the condition and details of Cystic Fibrosis. By the age of one, Ella took a wide range of medicines everyday including antibiotics and pancreatic enzymes, also extra vitamins. The daily supplement for a person with CF is about twenty pills. Ella is very vulnerable to any type of virus or infections that will damage her lungs (ex.

Colds). As Ella grows, her infections and symptoms will get worse. It will be harder for her to breathe and she will need extra oxygen in her lungs. Ed and Joanne are still clinging for hope, that scientist will come up for a cure before Ella is severely hurt or disturbed. "The fact that Ella will die before we do is the hardest part of having a daughter with cystic fibrosis.".