Who takes pancreatic enzyme products in the United States (U.S.)?
People of all ages with EPI due to cystic fibrosis, chronic pancreatitis, and other conditions take these products. The estimated number of patients in the United States with EPI is over 200,000. 6. What is Cystic Fibrosis (CF)? Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a genetic disease affecting approximately 30,000 children and adults in the United States. About 95% of patients with CF have EPI, and CF is the most common cause of EPI in children. CF causes the body to produce abnormally thick, sticky mucus, due to the faulty transport of sodium and chloride (salt) within the cells that line organs such as the lungs and pancreas, to the outer surface of these cells. The thick CF mucus also obstructs the pancreas, preventing digestive enzymes from reaching the intestines to help break down and digest food, and causes permanent damage to the pancreas. 7. What is chronic pancreatitis? Chronic pancreatitis is a recurrent inflammation of the pancreas that results in progressive damage to the pancreas and l
