Topic Overview

What is von Willebrand's disease?

Von Willebrand's disease is a bleeding disorder. When you have this disease, it takes longer for your blood to form clots, so you bleed for a longer time than other people.

Normally, when a person begins to bleed, small blood cells called platelets go to the site of the bleeding and clump together to help stop the bleeding. If you have von Willebrand's disease, your blood doesn't clot well because you don't have a certain protein in your blood or you have low levels of it. This protein is called the von Willebrand factor. It helps your blood to clot by helping the platelets stick together.

The disease is mild in most people. It can stay the same or get better or worse as you get older.

What are the types of von Willebrand's disease?

There are three major types of the disease. They range from mild to severe.

• In type 1, you are missing some von Willebrand factor. This can cause mild to moderate bleeding episodes. About 3 out of 4 people who have von Willebrand's disease have type 1.¹ You may not know you have the disease, and you may not need treatment.
• In type 2, you have the von Willebrand factor, but it doesn't work as it should. This usually causes mild bleeding episodes, but it can cause moderate bleeding episodes.
• In type 3, you don't have the von Willebrand factor or you have a very small amount. This type can lead to serious bleeding episodes, but it is very rare. People who have type 3 disease can develop anemia and can have dangerous bleeding after an injury or during surgery.

What causes von Willebrand's disease?

Von Willebrand's disease usually is passed down through families (inherited). If you have the disease, your doctor may suggest that your family members get tested for it too.

It's possible to get acquired von Willebrand's disease later in life. This rare form of the disease isn't inherited. Instead, it seems to be caused by an immune system reaction in people who have certain diseases or take certain medicines.

What are the symptoms?

Bleeding a lot is the main symptom of von Willebrand's disease. How severe the bleeding is will be different for each person.

Symptoms of mild von Willebrand's disease include: