Definition:
Von Willebrand disease or VWD for brevity, is an inherited bleeding disorder which affects the body's ability to clot open wounds which causes heavy and continuous bleeding.
Diagnosis:
Diagnosis includes examination of medical history of patients, physical examinations for unusual bruises and bleeding, blood tests and other tests like the Von Willebrand factor antigen, ristocetin, mutimer and platelet function tests are used to confirmed the disease.(Sadler, J. E. (1998) "Biochemistry and Genetics of von Willebrand factor." Annu Rev Biochem; 67:395-424).
Treatment:
Treatment includes adminsitration of Desmopressin which is usually injected or nasal spray, administration of birth pills to decrease menstrual blood loss. Other physicians also advised aminocaproic acid or tranexamic acid which is antifibrinolytic drug that can reduce bleeding.
Symptoms and Signs:
Its symptoms includes large bruising or injuries, frequent or hard to stop nosebleeds, long bleeding of the gums after a dental procedure, blood in the stool, heavy mentrual period in women and in giving birth, unusual and heavy bleeding after a cut or after surgical operation.
Causes:
Von Willebrand disease is an inherited disease..
