HEAR (Health Evidence Awareness report) is a newsletter designed to signpost 
information about specific health topics. HEAR is the result of a collaboration between librarians in a number of hospitals and health care settings across Ireland. This newsletter has useful information for both clinicians and patients. It contains information for patients, families and carers with links to support groups & organisations, books, multimedia and patient education. It also contains links to latest systematic reviews and Irish research in this topic.
Cystic fibrosis affects the internal organs, especially the lungs and digestive system. It causes them to become clogged with thick, sticky mucus. It is caused by a faulty gene that controls the movement of salt and water in and out of cells in the body. When cystic fibrosis occurs, too much salt and not enough water pass into the cells and turn the body’s secretions, which normally act as a lubricant, into a thick mucus. This mucus clogs up many of the body’s tubes, ducts and passageways so they cannot work properly. In the lungs, this leads to frequent and severe infections.
