Von Willebrand’s disease is a common blood clotting disorder which is thought to affect 1–2% of the population. The condition is caused by a deficiency in von Willebrand’s factor (named, like the disease, after the Finnish professor who discovered it), which is a protein in blood that helps to form blood clots and stop bleeding. There are several different types of the disease, varying in severity and prevalence. Von Willebrand’s disease is typically an inherited (genetic) condition. It can be passed on by either the mother or the father. Less commonly, the condition is acquired, in which case it is often associated with medication use and tumours.
For more information, see von Willebrand’s Disease (vWD).
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