Overview Severe Airways Disease Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency Bronchiectasis and rare lung disease Cystic Fibrosis Interstitial Lung Disease Sleep and Ventilation

Cystic Fibrosis

What is Cystic Fibrosis?

Cystic Fibrosis (CF) is an inherited, multisystemic condition that primarily affects the lungs and digestive tract but can also affect the liver, sinuses, reproductive tract and joints. Ireland has the highest incidence of CF (per head of population) in the world, where approximately 1 in 19 people are carriers of the CF gene and where two carriers parent a child together, there is a 1 in 4 chance of the baby being born with CF.

About

CF care has improved over the years with increasing life expectancy and as such an increasing adult population with CF. This is the result of a combination of team based multidisciplinary care and the development of CF specific medications called CFTR modulators.

The CF unit in Beaumont hospital is one of the National designated CF centres in Ireland. We have an expanding research program and aim to provide excellent, evidence based healthcare in a supportive and caring environment. As CF can affect various parts of the body, it can impact many parts of your life, our multidisciplinary team is set up to provide a broad spectrum of care to enable adults and young people with CF to maintain the best possible physical and mental health and wellbeing.

The service operates out of the Adult CF day unit where the majority of care is provided including ambulatory visits and our weekly CF clinic. The CF unit is home to our multidisciplinary team which is made up of CF specialist consultants, research fellows, clinical nurse specialists, specialist physiotherapists, dietician, psychologists, social worker and administrative team. We also have additional support from specialist diabetes, gastroenterology/hepatology, ENT, rheumatology and psychiatry colleagues. When necessary patients are admitted to one of two designated wards with single, ensuite rooms. This is while we await the completion of a new 20-room state of the art adult CF inpatient unit that is currently underway.