Cystic Fibrosis Treatments

Cystic fibrosis treatments do not cure this disease. Unfortunately, the only goal with current cystic fibrosis treatments is to improve a patients quality of life. Infections are treated by antibiotics, thickened mucus is treated by inhaled medications or mechanical devices, and secondary conditions such as diabetes, pancreatic disease, and even infertility are also treated.

Cystic fibrosis characteristically displayed lung-related symptoms and infections. Cystic fibrosis treatments target these infections via inhalation or intravenous injection of antibiotics. These two methods are used as long as possible until hospitalization and permanent catheterization cannot be avoided.  Once the infections are treated, the individual can leave the hospital.

The thickening mucus accumulating in the lungs must is also one of the cystic fibrosis treatments. Causing or aiding the patient to cough clears sputum, but also regular exercise program clears accumulated phlegm.

Cystic Fibrosis Treatments

As the disease progresses, cystic fibrosis treatments consist of machines to aid breathing. During sleep Bilevel Positive Airway Pressure (BiPAP) machines push air into patients’ lungs to ensure oxygenation of the blood. Near endstages, breathing may need to be supported by a ventilator.
Intestinal blockage associated with cystic fibrosis is surgically repaired in infants. Older patients do not tend to need surgery.

Cystic fibrosis treatments addressing malabsorption syndrome due to digestive enzyme insufficiency include vitamin supplements and enzymatic supplantation. The diabetes associated with pancreatic damage is simply treated with insulin injection. A number of other cystic fibrosis treatments target other malabsorption symptoms encouraging normal growth and development.

In late stages of cystic fibrosis, lung transplant becomes an appropriate cystic fibrosis treatment as lung function and exercise tolerance drops. Both lungs must be transplanted otherwise the remaining lung would likely infect the transplanted lung with residual bacterial infections.

Future cystic fibrosis treatments are likely to include a gene therapy component. It is still in very early development so it is not recognized as a cystic fibrosis treatment scheme though it is on the horizon.