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Title: Cystic fibrosis circulatory, digestive & respiratory systems Post by: Flojo75 on May 13, 2015 Hi,
Can anyone tell me how the circulatory system is affected in people with cystic fibrosis. Also can you explain how the circulatory, respiratory & digestive systems are all connected in a person with cystic fibrosis compared to a none sufferer?? Also how would the 3 systems work when absorbing a cheeseburger in a CF sufferer?? Thanks Title: Re: Cystic fibrosis circulatory, digestive & respiratory systems Post by: psyche360 on May 13, 2015 Hello, one source states:
Available evidence indicates that cystic fibrosis causes widespread involvement of the cardiovascular system. Aside from the heart, unusual aberrations have been observed in the bronchial arteries, the aorta, and the systemic capillaries. Unfortunately, the article is blocked: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/6752859 To answer the second part, when the CFTR protein is defective, epithelial cells can't regulate the way that chloride (part of the salt called sodium chloride) passes across cell membranes. This disrupts the essential balance of salt and water needed to maintain a normal thin coating of fluid and mucus inside the lungs, pancreas, and passageways in other organs. The mucus becomes thick, sticky, and hard to move. Normally, mucus in the lungs traps germs, which are then cleared out of the lungs. But in CF, the thick, sticky mucus and the germs it has trapped remain in the lungs, which become infected. In the pancreas, thick mucus blocks the channels that would normally carry important enzymes to the intestines to digest foods. When this happens, the body can't process or absorb nutrients properly, especially fats. |