Multidisciplinary Care for Cystic Fibrosis
Norton Pulmonary Specialists is a leader in treating lung diseases such as cystic fibrosis for patients in Louisville and Southern Indiana.
The board-certified and fellowship-trained specialists at Norton Pulmonary Specialists have the experience and training to manage your cystic fibrosis. We work closely with specialists across the Norton Healthcare network, including Norton Children’s, to provide comprehensive care.
Our pulmonary specialists and interventional pulmonologists help manage medications, therapy and treatments for patients with cystic fibrosis. Norton Pulmonary Specialists also co-manages patients who are hospitalized in any Norton Healthcare facilities.
What Is Cystic Fibrosis?
Cystic fibrosis is a genetic disorder that affects the lungs and digestive system, especially the pancreas. Over time, it limits the patient’s ability to breathe.
In people with cystic fibrosis, mucus becomes extraordinarily thick and sticky. The mucus can clog airways and trap bacteria.
The buildup of mucus in the pancreas inhibits digestive enzymes that help the body absorb nutrients. Thick mucus also can block the liver’s bile duct.
To inherit cystic fibrosis, you need a copy of the defective gene from both your mother and your father. A gene carrier may not have the disease.
Each time two cystic fibrosis gene carriers have a child, there is a 1 in 4 chance the child will have cystic fibrosis.
Cystic Fibrosis Treatment
Decades ago, a child with cystic fibrosis rarely lived more than five years. Advances in treatment now mean that cystic fibrosis patients live to have children of their own. Still, there is no cure, and the best medicine can offer is symptom management.
Cystic fibrosis patients undergo a daily regimen that includes:
- Loosening and clearing thick mucus in the lungs
- Inhaling medication to help open airways and fight lung infections
- Enzyme supplements that help the body absorb nutrients
- A customized fitness plan
- Cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator modulators designed to correct the malfunctioning protein created by the defective gene: These drugs are effective only for people with very specific genetic mutations.
We meet as a team every week to collaborate on all of our cases, to bring you comprehensive care. When you work with Norton Pulmonary Specialists you work with a team of research specialists, physicians and medical professionals dedicated to finding the best treatment for you.
