Diagnosing VWD

Early diagnosis of a bleeding disorder like von Willebrand disease (VWD) is a very important step toward making sure you are treated properly and effectively. It can also be the key to living a normal, active life.

Because many people with VWD do not have severe symptoms, VWD can be difficult to diagnose. This is particularly true for people with type 1 or 2 VWD, who may not get diagnosed until they have an occurrence of heavy bleeding, usually after surgery or other trauma. In addition, there is no one definitive test to diagnose VWD, adding to the difficulty of diagnosis.

So how does a doctor make an accurate diagnosis? He or she will collect certain information through discussions with you, a physical exam and blood tests.

Your bleeding history and physical exam

Your doctor may start by asking when you first started having abnormal bleeding. You can probably expect questions about how the bleeding started, where you bleed, how often you bleed and how long bleeding lasts. These questions, along with a physical exam, should help determine if the bleeding is caused by VWD.

Family history

Because many bleeding disorders are inherited, your doctor may also want to know if you have any family members with unusual bleeding. This can help your doctor understand if the disease is in your family.

Blood tests

Your doctor may also take blood samples and send them to a lab for testing. Testing is a very important part of the evaluation process. Results may show if you have VWD and, if so, what type.

Your doctor may want you to undergo certain blood tests more than once or order a combination of blood tests to confirm the diagnosis. He or she may also refer you to a hematologist, a doctor who specializes in blood diseases, to confirm the diagnosis and to set up any follow-up care.

Testing for VWD is complicated. It requires many different kinds of blood tests. For this reason, if you believe you have VWD, it is important to go to a qualified treatment center where the staff is experienced in testing for bleeding disorders.

Before surgery

Routine blood tests are usually done whenever a person is to have surgery. These tests may also reveal an underlying bleeding disorder, such as VWD.