What is cystic fibrosis?
This is one of the most common genetically determined diseases. The cause of the disease is a congenital defect that causes thickening of mucus, which leads to thick mucus deposition, mainly in the respiratory system (lungs) and pancreatic ducts. The disease primarily relates to the respiratory tract and is characterized mainly by recurrent or chronic pneumonia and bronchitis, recurrent sinus inflammation. Typical symptoms are gastrointestinal, intestinal obstruction, prolonged neonatal jaundice, chronic diarrhea or trouble with the tolerance of food. Cystic fibrosis is currently an incurable disease and leads to premature death.

The most common symptoms of the disease
The disease manifests primarily with symptoms of respiratory and digestive tract. One of the most common is a long lasting cough, particularly painful in the morning, due to the lingering bronchial mucus. Patients often suffer from recurrent bronchitis, chronic sinusitis. The most common symptoms include digestive system symptoms of food intolerance or bowel obstruction. A common problem is the failure of the pancreas and what's involved, impaired digestion and absorption, fatty stools, bloating and constipation and sometimes gallstones. Many patients show deficits of body weight and height. "Typical" child suspected of having cystic fibrosis, is a coughing baby casting loose fatty stools, with delayed weight gain and body length.

The course of disease and basic information about treatment
Virtually all patients are affected by the changes in the respiratory system. The reason is mucus lingering in their bronchial tubes, being the ideal medium for the multiplication of bacteria, which in turn causes chronic inflammation, leading to further damage of the bronchial tubes. Therefore, prevention and treatment of respiratory tract infections is considered essential. Prevention consists primarily in the so-called administration of mucolytic drugs reducing bronchial secretion. These drugs are administered usually in the form of inhalation. People with CF are extremely susceptible to respiratory infections.  In periods of the intensified inflammatory processes they use often prolonged treatment with antibiotics administered orally, intravenously and by inhalation.
In turn, typical for cystic fibrosis, pancreatic insufficiency (in 80% of patients), requires the adoption of lifelong enzyme preparations. Due to the fact that most patients show symptoms of malnutrition, high-energy and protein diet is essential. In most patients, digestive disorders cause the need to supplement the vitamins through the administration of appropriate formulations.