A physician may speak with a patient regarding various therapies utilized to address cystic fibrosis (CF). Respiratory treatment refers to any therapy that retards lung injury and improves respiration. The focus of this treatment is cutting down infection and eliminating mucous secretion to keep the respiratory organs healthy.
Medications for Cystic Fibrosis
Drugs used in respiratory treatment include:
- Bronchodilators (like albuterol or salmeterol), which are utilized to make respiration less troublesome. Bronchodilators can also make it more effortless to cough up mucous secretion.
- DNase (Pulmozyme), which is consumed to thin out the mucus in the lungs.
- Mucolytics (Mucomyst), to thin down mucus in the respiratory organs and also in the large and small bowels. These are not applied a great deal, since they may irritate the lungs.
An inhaled saltwater solvent (hypertonic saline), is occasionally used to assist in clearing out mucus from the respiratory organs. It is affordable, and it can help decrease inflammation in the air passages.
More Methods Used in Cystic Fibrosis Treatment
Additional methods to help remove mucus from the respiratory organs include specific types of movements, coughing strongly (but not to the point where it causes damage), or physical exercise called airway clearance methods.
- Postural draining and chest percussion, to assist the patient in expelling mucus from the respiratory organs.
- Sharp breathing drills, to help the patient exhale completely and strengthen the muscles utilized in respiration.
- Directed coughing to help eradicate mucus by taking breaths and coughing in certain ways.
- Exercise: aerobic exercise could really improve how accurately the lungs work. Ask a physician about what types of exercise a patient should engage in.
- Antibiotics are medicines that destroy bacteria that induce infections. They are frequently used to treat CF. A few antibiotics can be given to help protect against infections, like TOBI (tobramycin), Zithromax. or Cipro).
Alternate techniques of airway clearance, like applying a positive expiratory pressure (PEP) mask, high-frequency thorax (chest) compression vest, or Flutter valve. These techniques use mechanical gear to help eradicate mucous secretion from the respiratory organs.
Cystic Fibrosis and Digestive Treatment
Digestive treatment is another crucial aspect of initial therapy. This treatment works to replace specific digestive enzymes, to be sure the system takes in all the nutrients and vitamins the system requires, and to protect against or deal with intestinal obstructions.
Digestive enzyme replacement therapy (like Creon or Pancrease), helps the bowels take in specific nutrients from food. Digestive enzyme replacement therapy also prevents enteric (intestinal) obstructions with stool softeners (to prevent constipation) and enemas.
Nutritional treatment helps replace lost vitamins. This can involve consuming vitamins, high-calorie, high-fat foods and nutritional beverages, getting intravenous nutrient supplementation, and, in certain instances, getting fed through a feeding tube in the abdomen.
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References:
Flume PA, Robinson KA, et al. "Cystic fibrosis pulmonary guidelines: airway clearance therapies." Respiratory Care. 2009. Apr; 54 (4): 522-37.
Olveira, G., and C. Olveira. "Nutrition, cystic fibrosis and the digestive tract." Nutr Hosp (Spanish Medical Journal). 2008. May; 23 Suppl. 2:71-86
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