Table of Contents
What is von Willebrand disease in humans?
Von Willebrand disease (VWD) is a blood disorder in which the blood does not clot properly. Blood contains many proteins that help the blood clot when needed. One of these proteins is called von Willebrand factor (VWF).
What happens if you have von Willebrand disease?
People with von Willebrand disease sometimes experience heavier-than-normal bleeding from injury, surgery, and, in women, menstrual flow and childbirth. This bleeding can cause health problems including pain and anemia (low number of red blood cells). In rare cases, the bleeding can lead to death.
What part of the body does von Willebrand disease affect?
Von Willebrand disease is a lifelong bleeding disorder in which your blood doesn’t clot well. People with the disease have low levels of von Willebrand factor, a protein that helps blood clot, or the protein doesn’t perform as it should.
At what age is von Willebrand disease diagnosed?
76% of men with VWD had been diagnosed by age 10, but 50% of women with VWD were not diagnosed until after age 12.
Does von Willebrand go away?
Von Willebrand factor helps blood cells stick together (clot) when you bleed. If there’s not enough of it or it does not work properly, it takes longer for bleeding to stop. There’s currently no cure for VWD, but it does not usually cause serious problems and most people with it can live normal, active lives.
Can you have a baby with von Willebrand disease?
Pregnancy and Childbirth With proper care, women with von Willebrand disease (VWD) can have a successful pregnancy and deliver a healthy child. A woman who has VWD should be monitored closely throughout her pregnancy by her doctors.
What is the life expectancy of von Willebrand disease?
The life expectancy for people with VWD is normal. What’s more, some researchers are finding that mild VWD could be a health benefit. They explain it this way. Von Willebrand disease makes it more difficult for platelets to stick together.
Can I donate blood if I have von Willebrand’s disease?
But I have von Willebrand Disease (VWD), can’t I donate blood? Some blood collection centers will accept donations from people with VWD who have never had a major bleed or required treatment for their VWD. Call first and talk to a donation counselor.
Can von Willebrand disease go away?
Is VWD curable?
What is another name for von Willebrand’s disease?
Platelet-type von Willebrand disease (PT-VWD), also known as pseudo-von Willebrand disease, is an extremely rare genetic disorder characterized by prolonged bleeding time.
How can VWD be prevented?
Because it’s a genetic condition someone is born with, there is no way to prevent the disease, so scientists are constantly investigating ways that the disease can be stopped before it passes to the next generation.
What are the common causes of blood not clotting?
Bleeding disorders such as hemophilia and von Willebrand disease result when the blood lacks certain clotting factors. These diseases are almost always inherited, although in rare cases they can develop later in life if the body forms antibodies that fight against the blood’s natural clotting factors.
What diseases are caused by blood clots?
Several factors and medical conditions can cause blood clots. Medical issues like atherosclerosis , deep vein thrombosis, heart arrhythmias, anti-phospholipid syndrome, peripheral artery disease, polycythemia vera , heart attack, heart failure and factor V Leiden can cause blood clots.
What medications cause blood clots?
Some medications containing oestrogen can also contribute to the formation of blood clots (3), such as oral contraceptive pills (birth control pills) and hormone replacement therapy (HRT).
What causes slow blood clotting?
Slow clotting time can be caused by platelet deficiency, not enough or missing clotting factors, or anticoagulant therapy (which you are not on). Immune disorders, drug therapy, viral infections, bacterial infections, Vitamin B12/folic acid deficiency are a few things that can cause decreased platelet numbers.