abdomen through adolescents CF WORDS TO KNOW Glossary (v4) • Achromobacter ( Alcaligenes) Xylosoxidans A A type of bacterium. In CF, Achromobacter (Alcaligenes) xylosoxidans can sometimes be found • Abdomen in the sputum and may cause lung infections. Also called the belly. The part of the body below • Acid Reflux the diaphragm and above the pelvis where the Fluid from the stomach that comes back up the digestive tract, liver, and kidneys are located. esophagus. See also esophagus; gastroesophageal reflux. • Abdominal Wall • Action Plan The tissues between the skin and the abdominal See CF action plan. cavity. Includes muscle, fat, and soft tissues. • Active Cycle of Breathing ( ACB) • ABG Active cycle of breathing, or ACB, is a way to do Short for arterial blood gas test. Blood is taken airway clearance using breathing and huffing from a blood vessel in the wrist called an artery. exercises to help move mucus out of the lungs. ACB If a person places his fingers over this artery in the works best when it is done in postural drainage wrist, he can feel his pulse. The ABG test measures positions. The child needs to cough after huffs. A how much oxygen, carbon dioxide, and acid are in CF health care team member teaches families how the blood. See also PaCO ; PaO . 2 2 to do ACB. Usually a person has to be at least 9 • ABPA years old to do ACB well. See also airway clearance; Short for allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis. huff( ing); postural drainage and percussion. This is a complication that is sometimes seen in • Acute CF. In ABPA, the airways overreact when they are A disease suddenly getting worse or more severe, exposed to a fungus called Aspergillus . This allergic or an illness that only lasts a short time. In CF, a reaction can cause symptoms, such as coughing chronic disease, acute infections are common. See and wheezing, and can reduce lung function. One also chronic. test used to check for ABPA is the IgE blood level. Usually anti-inflammatory medicine is needed to • Adenovirus treat ABPA. See also allergy/allergies; IgE. A common type of virus that can cause upper • Absorb(ed)/Absorbing/Absorption and lower respiratory tract infections (from the common cold to pneumonia) in people of all ages. The passing of nutrients into the bloodstream. Adenovirus can also cause eye infections and This occurs mainly in the small intestine after food acute gastrointestinal infections (vomiting and is digested. Nutrients include proteins, fats, and diarrhea). Some people can have an infection carbohydrates. Vitamins and minerals are also without symptoms. A person can have an absorbed. See also digest( ing)/digestion; malabsorption. adenovirus infection more than once. • Abstinence • Adolescence To refrain from an activity. For example, to not The stage of life when the body is undergoing have sexual intercourse. See also sexual intercourse. sexual maturation and rapid growth. There are • acapella ® Vibratory PEP Therapy System also many other changes in the body and brain A handheld device that is used for airway clearance development during this time. to help move mucus out of the lungs. A person with • Adolescents CF blows into the device and it loosens mucus by Also called teens or teenagers. Children in making vibrations in the airways. The person needs adolescence stage of life. See also adolescence. to huff and cough between a set of blows. A CF health care team member teaches families how to use the acapella .® See also huff( ing). © 2013 Baylor College of Medicine Cystic Fibrosis Family Education Program … 1 adverse reaction through alveoli CF Words to Know — Glossary (v4) • Adverse Reaction from the trunk to the twigs and ends in the leaves. Unwanted side effect resulting from a drug or In CF, abnormal mucus clogs the airways. Infection mixture of drugs. See also side effects. and inflammation cause airway damage over time. See also alveoli; bronchi; bronchioles; trachea. • Advocate A person who speaks in favor of the child and his • Airway Clearance or her rights. A term for techniques a person can use to loosen abnormal (thick, sticky) mucus so it can • Aerobic be coughed or huffed out of the lungs. CF can Requiring oxygen. Aerobic exercises (such as cause mucus to build up in the airways. The running and swimming) are physical activities mucus blocks airflow and is a good place for that make a person work hard. Aerobic exercise bacteria to grow. There are different ways of doing increases the need for oxygen. airway clearance, such as postural drainage and • Aerosol percussion (PD & P), breathing exercises, using Particles (very small drops) of a solid or liquid handheld devices such as the Flutter® and forming a mist that can be inhaled. Some drugs acapella ,® or wearing a percussive vest. See used to treat CF are in this form. See also also acapella ® Vibratory PEP System; Flutter ® device; nebulizer; particle. percussive vest; postural drainage and percussion. • AFB • Albumin Short for acid-fast bacteria. These bacteria are A type of protein that is found in the body and called acid-fast because of the type of stain used can be measured in the blood. to see them under the microscope. The most well • Allergens known AFB causes tuberculosis ( Mycobacterium The things to which people are allergic. Common tuberculosis ). Other types of AFB can sometimes allergens are dust, pollens, and molds. These are cause problems for people with CF. The most often called the person’s allergic triggers. See common AFB infection in CF is caused by also allergy/allergies. Mycobacterium abcessus . These AFB infections tend to progress very slowly and can be hard to • Allerg y/ Allergies diagnose. They need longer antibiotic treatment The body’s overreaction when exposed to a than is needed for other bacteria. substance that is an allergen. The overreaction occurs when the body has become sensitive to • Air Compressor a certain allergen. Allergic reactions may cause A machine that connects to a nebulizer by tubing a number of symptoms, such as rash or hives, and creates pressure through airflow to turn liquid diarrhea, cough, wheezing, or sinus problems. medicine into a mist. Children with CF can then Symptoms vary from person to person. inhale the medicine during breathing treatments. • Alveoli • Air Sacs Tiny grape-like clusters of air sacs at the ends of Another name for alveoli, the grape-like clusters the airways, deep in the lungs, where the body gets at the end of the airways in the lungs where gas its fresh oxygen supply. The walls of the alveoli exchange takes place. See also alveoli. are covered with tiny blood vessels. As blood is • Airway(s) pumped through these vessels, oxygen passes from Tubes that bring outside air into the lungs. The the alveoli into the bloodstream. At the same time, lungs have many airways of different sizes. The carbon dioxide passes out of the bloodstream into largest airway is the trachea (windpipe) between the air sacs. With each breath, a person exhales the throat and the lungs. It branches into smaller carbon dioxide and inhales oxygen-rich air. A single airways called bronchi. These divide into the air sac is called an “alveolus.” In CF, mucus can clog smallest branches called bronchioles. At the end both the airways and the alveoli. See also airway(s). of the bronchioles are the alveoli (air sacs). The airways are shaped somewhat like a tree that goes 2 … Cystic Fibrosis Family Education Program © 2013 Baylor College of Medicine CF Words to Know — Glossary (v4) aminoglycoside antibiotics through attending physician • Aminoglycoside Antibiotics • Antioxidant A type of antibiotic that is used to treat certain An enzyme or other substance (such as vitamin E) bacterial infections. Aminoglycoside antibiotics that can counteract the damaging effect of include tobramycin, gentamicin, and amikacin. oxidation in the body’s tissues. Oxidation is a This type of antibiotic is often used in CF to process that can cause injury to cells. Oxidation treat infection in the lungs. Possible side effects also causes metal to rust and vegetables to rot. include reduced kidney function and hearing • Anus problems. Drug blood levels need to be checked The hole where stool (the solid waste from when aminoglycoside antibiotics are given by IV. digested food) passes out of the body. The anus • Amylase is part of the digestive system. One of the enzymes produced in the pancreas. • Aspergillus Amylase helps break down carbohydrate starches A kind of fungus (mold) that is very common in in food in the intestine. Amylase is included in the environment. Some people develop an allergy pancreatic enzyme supplements in CF. to Aspergillus . In CF, sometimes a person can have • Anemia a strong allergic reaction to Aspergillus called A low red blood cell count. Can be due to diet ABPA (allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis). problems, blood loss, or diseases that affect how See also ABPA; allergy/allergies. the body makes red blood cells. • Asthma • Antibacterial A chronic disease in which the airways overreact Something that kills bacteria or stops them from with exposure to a trigger. It is sometimes called growing, such as the bleach solution used to clean reactive airways disease (or RAD, for short). equipment or antibacterial hand cleaner. Symptoms of asthma may be triggered by allergens, exercise, infections, or irritants (such as • Antibiotics tobacco smoke). Different people are affected by Drugs used to fight infections caused by bacteria. different triggers. During an asthma problem, the Antibiotics kill bacteria or stop them from growing. airway muscles tighten. This reaction is called In CF, antibiotics are used to control infections, bronchospasm. Inflammation develops in the such as bronchitis. Antibiotics may be taken by airways in asthma, which causes swelling and more mouth, by injection, or by IV.