von Willebrand Disease Symptoms & Diagnosis

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von Willebrand Disease Guide

Christine Jeffries

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Symptoms

Many people with the vWD gene have very mild symptoms or none at all. When symptoms do occur, the severity varies from person-to-person. Many people only notice symptoms after taking aspirin or similar medications that interfere with clotting. Symptoms usually begin in childhood and fluctuate throughout life. Common symptoms include:

  • Easy bruising
  • Frequent or prolonged nosebleeds
  • Prolonged bleeding from the gums and minor cuts
  • Heavy or prolonged bleeding during menstrual periods
  • Bleeding in the digestive system
  • Prolonged bleeding after injury, childbirth, surgery, or invasive dental procedures

Diagnosis

Your doctor will ask about your symptoms and medical history, and perform a physical exam. Blood tests may be done to check the following:

  • Bleeding time—In vWD it will be prolonged, particularly after the administration of aspirin.
  • Factor VIII antigen—This indirectly measures levels of vWF in your blood; in vWD, it will be reduced.
  • Ristocetin cofactor activity—This shows how well your vWF works; in vWD, it will be decreased.
  • von Willebrand factor multimer—This examines the different structural types of vWF in the blood; in vWD, it will be reduced.

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