There is no cure for cystic fibrosis, except to control the symptoms.
Oral, intravenous, or inhaled antibiotics will be given to treat this infection, either chronic or acute.
Other cystic fibrosis treatments involve treatment with enzyme replacement for pancreatic disease, insulin for diabetes [diabetes causes], and advanced reproductive methods for infertility.
If pneumonia is suspected in cystic fibrosis patients or if there is decline in lung function then antibiotics are used to treat the condition based on prior infections.
Since many bacteria in CF are resistant to numerous antibiotics, treatment for weeks with intravenous antibiotics such as vancomycin, tobramycin, and ciprofloxacin are required.
Inhalation therapy with antibiotics like tobramycin for months will be given to improve the lung function by inhibiting the growth of bacteria. Oral antibiotics like ciprofloxacin and azithromycin are also used to prevent and control the infection.
Other methods of treatment in cystic fibrosis include percussive therapy such as ThAIRapy Vest and Intrapulmonary Percussive Ventilation and Biphasic Cuirass Ventilation.
When lung function and exercise tolerance decreases significantly in individuals with cystic fibrosis, lung transplantation is necessary. In patients with cystic fibrosis, both lungs need to be transplanted since if one lung is replaced, the other lung that contains bacteria will infect this replaced lung.
Lung transplantation is considered only when survival of the patient declines or if the patient needs support with mechanical devices. Liver and pancreatic transplantation will also be performed at the time of lung transplantation to lessen the liver and pancreatic disease.
Gene therapy is also considered by replacing a normal copy of CFTR gene (Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane conductance Regulator) into affected cells, but according to the recent studies only 5-10% normal amount of CFTR gene expression is needed to prevent lung manifestations of cystic fibrosis. Many problems still arise before gene therapy is considered.
As per research led by Case Western Reserve University School Of Medicine, Cleveland, ibuprofen slows the decline in lung function. As the lungs are damaged by infection and inflammation in cystic fibrosis, the treatment for this would be anti-inflammatory therapy and it was accepted that ibuprofen is used to treat this disease.
There is a 29 percent diminution in loss of lung function in those children who took high doses of ibuprofen when compared to those children who did not take this anti‑inflammatory drug twice daily. This study confirms that treatment with ibuprofen, an anti-inflammatory drug, considerably lessens the decline in lung function in children and teens with cystic fibrosis.
On the other hand, there is a fear on doctors that ibuprofen will cause increased gastrointestinal bleeding, a common side effect of anti-inflammatory drug. However, according to the researchers, this problems occurs one in 500 patients who are treated with ibuprofen. Also, they confirm that benefits over weigh the tiny risk of gastrointestinal bleeding.
Since specific recommendations have not made on what dosage is best for the patients with cystic fibrosis. Such decision should be made by the physician, who is familiar with the case.
There are many other possible treatments for the patients with cystic fibrosis depending on the condition of each patient.
