Von Willebrands Disease essays

Von Willebrands Disease essays Blood is carried throughout the body within a network of blood vessels (arteries, veins, and capillaries). When our tissues are injured, the blood vessel is disrupted, and we bleed through the holes in the blood vessel wall. Normally, we stop bleeding through this process-the formation of the platelet plug and the formation of the blood clot. This is called "hemostasis." A protein in our blood, termed Von Willebrand factor (or vWf), causes the platelets to bind to the damaged blood vessel wall (platelet adhesion). Therefore if Von Willebrand factor is absent, the ability to clot at the site of injury is impaired. Von Willebrand disease is probably the most common hereditary bleeding disorder and may occur in up to 1 percent of the population. Patients with Von Willebrand disease have diminished production of Von Willebrand factor or produce a molecule that does not function normallyhence, their platelets do not adhere properly when blood vessels are injured, and it takes longer for bleeding to stop. In some patients, factor VIII (anti-haemophilic factor that helps blood clot) is also reduced, and blood clotting is impaired. In patients with haemophilia the primary problem is decreased or absent factor VIII, while Von Willebrand factor is normal. The "factor VIII molecular complex and the individual components are important to blood clotting (factor VIII) and platelet adhesion (Von Willebrand factor). Whereas patients with haemophilia often have severe bleeding that is detected and diagnosed in the first few years of life, Von Willebrand disease is a milder disorder and may be discovered at any age. Usually a patient experiences recurrent nosebleeds, easy bruising, heavy menstrual periods, or has prolonged bleeding at the time of a surgical procedure such as a tonsillectomy or tooth extraction. Although normal young children may have bruises and do not recall the trauma, older children and adults who bruise frequently ...