What is "von willebrand disease"

n. (context medicine English) An hereditary disease, characterized by a tendency to hemorrhage, and caused by a defect in blood platelet activity.

Von Willebrand disease (vWD) is the most common hereditary blood-clotting disorder in humans. An acquired form can sometimes result from other medical conditions. It arises from a deficiency in the quality or quantity of von Willebrand factor (vWF), a multimeric protein that is required for platelet adhesion. It is known to affect humans and several breeds of dogs. The three forms of vWD are: hereditary, acquired, and pseudo or platelet type. The three types of hereditary vWD are: vWD type 1, vWD type 2, and vWD type 3. Type 2 contains various subtypes. Platelet type vWD is also an inherited condition.

vWD type 1 is the most common type of the disorder which is typically asymptomatic, though mild symptoms such as nosebleeds may occur, and occasionally more severe symptoms. Blood type can affect the presentation and severity of symptoms of vWD.

vWD is named after Erik Adolf von Willebrand, a Finnish physician who first described the disease in 1926.