What is Cystic Fibrosis?
- Cystic Fibrosis is a very serious and life-threatening hereditory disorder that affects the lungs and digestive systems of about 30,000 people in the United States.
- Mainly affects the lungs, pancreas, liver, intestines, sinuses, and sex organs.
- It is one of the most common chronic lung diseases in children and young adults.
- A defective gene and its protein product cause the body to produce unusually thick and sticky mucus.
- This mucus clogs the lungs, leads to life-threatening infections, obstructs the pancreas, and stops natural enzymes from helping the body break down and absorb food.
- Most common in white people, but can also occur in Hispanics, African Americans, and some Native Americans.