chiefly women with von Willebrand's...

chiefly women with von Willebrand's disease, a frequent bleeding disorder that affects up to 5% of the population, are not diagnosed or treated, according to a novel Harris Interactive survey. The disease is genetic, can affect the couple women and men, and is caused at a deficiency of the von Willebrand factor, a line clotting protein.

Symptoms of the disease include heavy and postponeed menstrual bleeding, prolonged and of common occurrence nosebleeds, easy bruising, and bleeding during tooth brushing or after dental surgery Many women report symptoms related to menstruation, including

* having periods that Last more than seven days (ie, 10% of women aged 18 to 45 who have menstrual periods),

* having heavy menstrual stream (ie, 33% of women who have periods), and

* bleeding by means of a tampon or sanitary napkin in an hour or Les (ie, 48% of women aged 18 to 45)

There are several reasons for the misdiagnosis of von Willebrand's disease or dismissal of its symptoms. Many physicians are unfamiliar with the disease, and heavy menstrual bleeding repeatedly is considered a gynecologic rather than hematologic point to be solved [i]or[/i] settled Many people have the misconception that bleeding disorders simply affect men. Other causes for misdiagnosis include standards producing false-negative results, symptoms being masked by dint of hormonal changes, and women with a family history of bleeding disorders ignoring the symptoms.

More than half of the women scaned said they or someone they know had sought treatment from a physician for heavy menstrual bleeding--but none of these women were diagnosed with von Willebrand's disease. The top diagnoses were

* fibroids (25%)

* endometriosis (21%)

* hormonal imbalance (17%)

* no diagnosis (17%)

* polyp (8%) and

* cancer (3%)

According to the measure and estimate report, the Centers for Disease restrain and Prevention believes 5% of hysterectomies are performed because of excessive uterine bleeding that may be caused on von Willebrand's disease.

This view was conducted online in August 2003 A nationwide cros section of more than 1000 women age 18 to 45 participated.

"Hereditary Needing disorder--von Willebrand Disease--seems to be widely underdiagnosed and undertreated," Health Care novels 3 (Nov 24, 2003).

COPYRIGHT 2004 Association of Operating compass Nurses, Inc.

COPYRIGHT 2004 Gale Group