Jonathan C. Roberts, MD, of the Bleeding & Clotting Disorders Institute, Peoria, IL talks about a recent claims data for children and adolescents with Von Willebrand disease.
The study looked at medical insurance claims for persons Von Willebrand disease (N=1087) from January 1, 2006 to June 30, 2015. As Dr. Roberts explains in this interview, the top 3 treating were hospitalists, primary care physicians, and hematologist for children compared to hospitalists, primary care physicians, and obstetrician gynecologists for adolescents.
The most common prescribed medications for managing their bleeding in children were aminocaproic acid, desmopressin, and nasal cauterization. For adolescents, the most common prescribed medications were oral contraceptives (females only), desmopressin, and aminocaproic acid.
Von Willebrand disease is a genetic condition due to a missing or defective clotting protein [von Willebrand factor (VWF)] that binds to factor VIII. Symptoms and severity vary greatly. Common symptoms include epitaxis (nose bleeds), bruising, and excessive bleeding. In females, heavy menstrual bleeding is often what leads to a diagnosis.
For more information about this and other blood disorders, visit https://checkrare.com/diseases/blood-diseases/