Bleeding Disorder Facts
A bleeding disorder is a defect in the body’s blood clotting system. Clotting factors are missing or do not work as they should.
Hemophilia
- Hemophilia is a sex-linked blood clotting disorder that causes excessive bleeding to occur spontaneously.
- Hemophilia may be mild, moderate or severe.
- Individuals with hemophilia bleed longer not faster than people with normal clotting factors.
- A misconception is that people with hemophilia will bleed to death from a minor cut or injury.
- The most conventional method of treatment of bleeding disorders is intravenous infusion of factor.
Von Willebrand Disease
- Hemophilia & von Willebrand diseases are inherited, however both can result from a genetic mutation with no prior family history.
- A deficient blood protein call von Willebrand factor causes von Willebrand disease.
- Von Willebrand disease is the most common bleeding disorder. It can be passed down from either parent.
- Often, people do not realize they may have this disease until another family member is diagnosed, as it is usually a mild disorder with few symptoms if any.
Useful Links
www.patientservicesinc.org/
HANDI
http://www.hemophilia.org/resources/handi.htm
Hemophilia Federation of America (HFA)
http://hemophiliafed.org/
HIV and Hepatitis
http://www.hivandhepatitis.com/
Human Gene Therapy Center (HGTC)
http://www.med.unc.edu/
Johns Hopkins
All Children’s Hospital
www.hopkinsallchildrens.org/home
http://www.medscape.com/
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)
http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/
National Hemophilia Foundation (NHF)
http://www.hemophilia.org
World Federation of Hemophilia (WFH)
http://www.wfh.org/
St. Joseph’s Children’s Hemophilia Treatment Center
Cancer Institute
3001 W. Dr. MLK, Jr. Blvd
Tampa, Fl 33607
(813)321-6820 ph
(813)287-6306 fax
Hours: 8-4:30 M-F