There are different ways to clear your airways. Most are easy to do. Infants and toddlers will need help from a parent or caregiver. Older kids and adults can choose airway clearance techniques (ACTs) that they can do on their own.
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Although cystic fibrosis affects many parts of the body, the focus is often on the lungs because of the disease's effect on breathing.
Autogenic drainage (AD) means “self-drainage” and uses different speeds of breathing to move mucus. To do it, your respiratory therapist can teach you how to control your breaths. You will learn how fast and deeply to breathe to fill certain parts of your lungs with air. AD can take some practice and is usually recommended for people age 8 and older.
Chest physical therapy (CPT or Chest PT) is an airway clearance technique (ACT) to drain the lungs, and may include percussion (clapping), vibration, deep breathing, and huffing or coughing.
Coughing is the most basic airway clearance technique (ACT). It can be an involuntary reflex or it can be controlled as a healthy, natural way for the lungs to get rid of mucus.
Positive expiratory pressure (PEP) therapy gets air into the lungs and behind the mucus using extra (collateral) airways.
Bronchodilators may widen airways by helping the surrounding muscles relax. This could allow more air to travel through the airways, which may help other medications work more effectively.
When our daughter was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis, all I could think about was walking into that first CF clinic appointment and walking out with “the vest.” Although transitioning to the vest was the change I feared the most, it's been a welcome change to our once-difficult routine.
Chronic infection with P. aeruginosa is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Effective regimens include antibiotic therapy for newly acquired infection and routine surveillance with oropharyngeal cultures.
A well-performed and well-interpreted sweat test is the gold standard for accurately diagnosing cystic fibrosis. These guidelines were developed by consensus based on expert opinion and a review of the medical literature.