Different Treatment Options for Cystic Fibrosis

Cystic fibrosis, although a difficult condition to be treated can be rectified with some effective treatment options. There are varied options for treating the complications and the symptoms of this disorder. The key goal here is to check as well as prevent the infections, reduce the thickness of the secretions and its amount in our lungs, maintain the required nutrition and calories and improve airflow.

In order to accomplish all these necessary objectives, the cystic fibrosis treatment options included are: Antibiotics: The recently available antibiotics are extremely effective in fighting those bacteria that causes lung infection in humans with cystic fibrosis. The most potential among these are the aerosolized antibiotics. These drugs allow the medication to be sent into the airways directly. However, these drugs have a major drawback- prolonged use of these medications leads to the development of such bacteria that are usually resistant to any drug therapy. Likewise, if antibiotics are used for a considerable period of time, it results in fungal infections affecting the throat, mouth and the respiratory tract. Bronchial airway drainage: In cystic fibrosis, the thick mucus needs to be removed from the lungs for relief. This can be done manually by clapping with the hands cupped on the chest, both in front and back. Electric chest slapper can also be used in some cases. Bronchodilators: Inhalers are often recommended with the use of certain medications like albuterol that can bring relief. This helps in opening the bronchial tubes, thus helping the patient in breathing better. Mucus-thinning drugs: When the white blood cells start attacking the bacteria present in the airways, DNA in the cells are released, thus making the mucus in the airways thicker. Mucus thinning drugs or aerosolized drug dornase alfa is a typical enzyme that can fragment the DNA thereby making the mucus thinner as well as much easier to pass. Oral enzymes, better nutrition: Cystic fibrosis often makes the patient malnourished because of the pancreatic enzymes that are extremely essential for digestion, but do not reach the small intestine, thus preventing the foods from being properly absorbed. Thus, oral enzymes need to be taken for better absorption. Due to higher energy expenditure, the body also needs added calories than otherwise required. Supplementing the food with high-calorie nutrition and special fat-soluble vitamins can be a good choice. Anti-inflammatory drugs: Medications such as Ibuprofen (Mortin and Advil) have reportedly lessened deterioration of the lungs in children suffering from cystic fibrosis. Lung transplantation: When a patient shows severe breathing problems, increasing resistance to the prescribed antibiotics or life-threatening pulmonary conditions, lung translation might be recommended by the doctor. But, the patient must be in the physical state to go for a lung transplant. Whether the patient is a suitable candidate or not will be determined by various factors, such as lifestyle habits, overall health etc. Major progress has been achieved in 1989. Researchers identified that genetic mutation is one of the primary causes of the disease. Since that time scientists are trying to find out new and innovative treatments for cystic fibrosis. We should be able to conquer the disease in the near future, hopefully!

By: Didier De Coster

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