Von Willebrand Disease Research Paper
VON WILLEBRAND DISEASE
Von Willebrand disease is named after a physician named Erik von Willebrand in the 1920s. It was first discovered in a five-year old girl in 1924. He assessed members of her family and reported in 1926 that this was a previously undescribed bleeding disorder that differed from hemophilia. He recognized the inheritance pattern, and noted that the bleeding symptoms were greater in children and in women of childbearing age. This disorder also effects animals, mostly dogs.
There are three main types of VWD, the fourth type, acquired VWD, is not hereditary. Type 1 is found in 60%-80% of patients. It can arise from failure to secrete vWF or from vWF (a clotting protein) being cleared more quickly than normal. Many patients have mild symptoms and no clearly impaired clotting which might suggest a bleeding disorder. Most cases of type 1 vWD are never diagnosed due to the mild presentation and most people usually lead normal lives free of complications with many being unaware that they have the disorder. Type 2 vWD …show more content…
Medications can be used to, increase the amount of von Willebrand factor or factor VIII released into the bloodstream, replace von Willebrand factor, prevents the breakdown of blood clots, for heavy menstrual bleeding in women. Treatments for women who have VWD with heavy menstrual bleeding include, birth control pills or a levonorgestrel intrauterine device. This is a birth control device that contains the hormone progestin. For some women who are done having children or don't want children, endometrial ablation (destroys the lining of the uterus) or a hysterectomy can be done. Other treatment options include taking a hormone called desmopressin, von Willebrand factor replacement therapy, for those who cannot take desmopressin, and Antifibrinolytic, a medicine used to help prevent the breakdown of blood clots. Antifibrinolytic can be taken with both replacement therapy and
Von Willebrand disease is named after a physician named Erik von Willebrand in the 1920s. It was first discovered in a five-year old girl in 1924. He assessed members of her family and reported in 1926 that this was a previously undescribed bleeding disorder that differed from hemophilia. He recognized the inheritance pattern, and noted that the bleeding symptoms were greater in children and in women of childbearing age. This disorder also effects animals, mostly dogs.
There are three main types of VWD, the fourth type, acquired VWD, is not hereditary. Type 1 is found in 60%-80% of patients. It can arise from failure to secrete vWF or from vWF (a clotting protein) being cleared more quickly than normal. Many patients have mild symptoms and no clearly impaired clotting which might suggest a bleeding disorder. Most cases of type 1 vWD are never diagnosed due to the mild presentation and most people usually lead normal lives free of complications with many being unaware that they have the disorder. Type 2 vWD …show more content…
Medications can be used to, increase the amount of von Willebrand factor or factor VIII released into the bloodstream, replace von Willebrand factor, prevents the breakdown of blood clots, for heavy menstrual bleeding in women. Treatments for women who have VWD with heavy menstrual bleeding include, birth control pills or a levonorgestrel intrauterine device. This is a birth control device that contains the hormone progestin. For some women who are done having children or don't want children, endometrial ablation (destroys the lining of the uterus) or a hysterectomy can be done. Other treatment options include taking a hormone called desmopressin, von Willebrand factor replacement therapy, for those who cannot take desmopressin, and Antifibrinolytic, a medicine used to help prevent the breakdown of blood clots. Antifibrinolytic can be taken with both replacement therapy and