Understanding Cystic Fibrosis

Clinical Consequences

Patients with CF develop a wide range of clinical consequences and experience varying degrees of disease severity. Regardless of its clinical presentation, the basic problem of the disease is the same – an abnormality in the glands that produce or secrete sweat and mucus.¹⁹

Mucus lubricates the respiratory, digestive, and reproductive systems to keep tissues moist and infection free. CF, therefore, can interfere with all these mucus-producing systems to cause a broad range of clinical sequelae.
Sweat cools the body, removing small amounts of salt in the process. Clinical consequences that result from CF are related to increased salt and water loss, leading to problems with ion imbalance and heat regulation.

Source: Beers MH, Fletcher AJ, Jones TV, Porter RS, Berkwits M, Kaplan JL. Cystic Fibrosis. The Merck Manual of Medical Information 2007;(2nd):1-8.¹⁹

Learn more about the clinical consequences of CF:

>> Effects on the Respiratory System

>> Effects on the Digestive system

>> CF- related Diabetes Mellitus

>> Effects on the Heart

>> Other Effects of Cystic Fibrosis

Reference:
19: Beers MH, Fletcher AJ, Jones TV, Porter RS, Berkwits M, Kaplan JL. Cystic Fibrosis. The Merck Manual of Medical Information 2007;(2nd):1-8.