Back to Home Cystic Fibrosis Treatments What are some Cystic Fibrosis Treatments? Since Cystic Fibrosis is a genetic disease, the only way to prevent or cure it would be with gene therapy at an early age. Ideally, gene therapy could repair or replace the defective gene. Another option for treatment would be to give a person with Cystic Fibrosis the active form of the protein product that is scarce or missing. At present, neither gene therapy nor any other kind of treatment exists for the basic causes of Cystic Fibrosis, although several drug-based approaches are being investigated. In the meantime, the best that doctors can do is to ease the symptoms of Cystic Fibrosis or slow the progress of the disease so the patient's quality of life is improved. This is achieved by antibiotic therapy combined with treatments to clear the thick mucus from the lungs. The therapy is tailored to the needs of each patient. For patients whose disease is very advanced, lung transplantation may be an option. Cystic Fibrosis was once always fatal in childhood. Better treatment methods developed over the past 20 years have increased the average lifespan of Cystic Fibrosis patients to nearly 30 years. These treatment approaches are detailed more fully below: Cystic Fibrosis treatments for lung problems A major focus of Cystic Fibrosis treatment is the obstructed breathing that causes frequent lung infections. Physical therapy, exercise, and medications are used to reduce the mucus blockage of the lung's airways. Chest therapy consists of bronchial, or postural, drainage, which is done by placing the patient in a position that allows drainage of the mucus from the lungs. At the same time, the chest or back is clapped (percussed) and vibrated to dislodge the mucus and help it move out of the airways. This process is repeated over different parts of the chest and back to loosen the mucus in different areas of each lung. This procedure has to be done for children by family members but older patients can learn to do it by themselves. Mechanical aids that help chest physical therapy are available commercially. Exercise treatment also helps to loosen the mucus, stimulate coughing to clear the mucus, and improve the patient's overall physical condition. Medications used to help breathing are often aerosolized (misted) and can be inhaled. These medicines include bronchodilators (which widen the breathing tubes), mucolytics (which thin the mucus), and decongestants (which reduce swelling of the membranes of the breathing tubes). A recent advance, approved by the Food and Drug Administration, is an inhaled aerosolized enzyme treatment that thins the mucus by digesting the cellular material trapped in it. Antibiotics to fight lung infections also are used and may be taken orally or in aerosol form, or by injection into a vein. Cystic Fibrosis treatments for digestive problems The digestive problems in Cystic Fibrosis are less serious and more easily managed than those in the lungs. A well-balanced, high-caloric diet, low in fat and high in protein, and pancreatic enzymes (which help digestion) are often prescribed. Supplements of vitamins A, D, E, and K are given to ensure good nutrition. Enemas and mucolytic agents are used as treatments for intestinal obstructions. Back to Home This web site is intended for your own informational purposes only. No person or entity associated with this web site purports to be engaging in the practice of medicine through these web pages. The information you obtain is not intended as a substitute for the advice of a physician or other health care professional. If you have an illness or medical problem, contact your health provider.