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| June 16 2003 | Stage 3 Dubrovnik to Dublin |
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| CF in a nutshell | |
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| Cystic Fibrosis (CF) is a genetic disease that is incurable and life-threatening. People with CF are prone to lung infections and with each infection precious lung tissue is damaged that cannot easily be repaired. Ireland has the highest incidence in the world, with an estimated 1 in 20 Irish people carrying the CF gene and approximately 40 infants being born with CF each year. In the past five years 91 people have died from CF related illnesses, 14 people of whom have died awaiting lung transplant operations. Their average age at time of death was just 17 years of age. As therapeutic options have expanded over the last decade, significant advances have been achieved in both life expectancy and quality of life. Lung deterioration is the major cause of CF related deaths. |
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| What is Cystic Fibrosis (CF)? | |
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| CF causes the body to produce an abnormally thick, sticky mucus, due to the faulty transport of sodium and chloride (salt) within cells lining organs such as the lungs and pancreas, to their outer surfaces. The thick CF mucus also obstructs the pancreas, preventing enzymes from reaching the intestines to help break down and digest food.
CF has a variety of symptoms. The most common are: very salty-tasting skin; persistent coughing, wheezing or pneumonia; excessive appetite but poor weight gain; and bulky stools. The sweat test is the standard diagnostic test for cystic fibrosis. This simple and painless test measures the amount of salt in the sweat. A high salt level indicates that a person has CF. The treatment of CF depends upon the stage of the disease and which organs are involved. One means of treatment, chest physical therapy, requires vigorous percussion (by using cupped hands) on the back and chest to dislodge the thick mucus from the lungs. Antibiotics are also used to treat lung infections and are administered intravenously, or orally via pills, and/or medicated vapors which are inhaled to open up clogged airways. When CF affects the digestive system, the body does not absorb enough nutrients. Therefore, people with CF may need to eat an enriched diet and take both replacement vitamins and enzymes. An individual must inherit a defective copy of the CF gene - one from each parent - to have cystic fibrosis. Each time two carriers conceive a child, there is a 25 percent chance that the child will have CF; a 50 percent chance that the child will be a carrier; and a 25 percent chance that the child will be a non-carrier. The quality of life of patients with CF depends on the severity of the disease but all patients need constant medical attention and regular treatment. Despite these hardships, adequate medical care will produce significant advances in life expectancy. At present, the majority of adolescent and adult patients with CF who are receiving good medical care are students or they are employed. Treatments include antibacterial strategies combined with high-calorie nutrition and regular chest physiotherapy and/or physical activity. Transplantation of the lungs has become a viable option for some and ongoing research opens perspectives for improved treatment in the future. The money raised through Drive for Life will help to fund such research programs over the next three years. One of the pre-eminent goals of CF Association of Ireland is to improve awareness of CF |
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| Visit Cystic Fibrosis Association of Ireland.. |
