Vnitr Lek 2008, 54(3):257-264

Von Willebrand disease

P. Smejkal^*, M. Matýšková, M. Penka

Oddělení klinické hematologie FN Brno, pracoviště Bohunice, prim. prof. MUDr. Miroslav Penka, CSc.

Von Willebrand disease is the most spread hereditary bleeding disorder with prevalence up to the 1 % in the population. Haemorrhagic symptoms are various intensity, mostly not severe. A large part of affected patients do not come to see a doctor. However these patients are potentially endangered by a serious haemorrhage after a trauma, surgery or during another illness. The estimated number of patients with von Willebrand disease is 1,500-3,500 per 1,000,000 of population; the number of persons with symptomatic von Willebrand disease was estimated to be at least 100 per million. This disease deserves attention not only by haematologists but other physicians too. In our communication we present short overview about von Willebrand disease: there are briefly described pathophysiology, classification, diagnosis and treatment of this illness.

Keywords: von Willebrand factor; von Willebrand disease; classification; diagnosis; treatment

Received: December 10, 2007; Accepted: January 13, 2008; Published: March 1, 2008  Show citation