ntesis, chronic villus biopsy3 and a removal of cells from the embryo during invitro.
             Many years ago, New York4 had a heat wave, and the hospitals became overwhelmed with dehydrated CF children. These children became dehydrated much quicker than children without the disorder. Thus eventually resulting in the formation of the sweat test which is now the standard test. Doctors place a pad or filter paper on a patients arm or back. A chemical called Pilocarpine, makes a burst of electricity to produce more sweat. Then the pad is wrapped in plastic and is sent to a lab to get analyzed. The doctors then would look for a high chloride content in the sweat. Another test is a blood test that is administered 3 days after a baby is born. It is called Immunoreactive Trypsinogen5 if that comes back positive it is then double checked with a sweat test.
             Furthermore CF causes the sweat glands to release about 5 times6 as much salt as a normal person would. This is why the skin of a CF patients may taste salty. They don't sweat more, but when they perspire more salt is excreted. This causes the person to dehydrate.
             CF is a disorder that causes the body to produce larger amount of mucus than normal. In a normal person, mucus in the lungs helps get rid of germs and bacteria in the air. In a CF patients the lungs become covered with a sticky mucus that is hard to remove and promotes infection from bacteria. Over time infections cause the lungs to become extremely weak, therefore ending in respiratory failure.
             Also CF affects the digestive tract. The overproduction of mucus causes the pancreatic ducts to be clogged. Therefore preventing necessary enzymes to digest fats and proteins. Without those enzymes CF patients can't gain weight. The undigested proteins and fats pass right through the body creating smelly bowel. In some cases this malnutrition causes people to die when they are only children. Also it is more common for people with cystic fi...