ITP & Other Related Diseases

Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura, or ITP, is a disease that interferes with the body's normal blood clotting process and can result in excessive bleeding and bruising. Several other diseases, including Von Willebrand disease and hemophilia disorders, have a similar effect on bleeding and blood clotting. Bleeding disorders can result from problems with cells and substances that the blood uses to form blood clots and stop bleeding.

ITP

• ITP is a medical condition that causes the body's immune system to attack and destroy blood platelet cells. Individuals with this condition have an abnormally low amount of platelets in their bloodstreams. ITP patients may experience very heavy menstrual bleeding, bleeding into the skin and bleeding from the mouth and nose. Doctors may prescribe prednisone or other medications to treat ITP or they may remove a patient's spleen to reduce the immune system's ability to attack platelet cells.

Von Willebrand Disease

• People with Von Willebrand disease have a low level of von Willebrand factor in their blood. Von Willebrand factor helps blood platelets clump, form blood clots and stick to blood vessel walls. Caucasian women and people with a family history of bleeding disorders have an increased risk of developing Von Willebrand disease. Abnormal bruising, heavy bleeding during menstruation and bleeding of the gums and nose may occur with this condition. Doctors may prescribe medications such as desamino-8-arginine vasopressin to increase von Willebrand factor levels and reduce bleeding.

Hemophilia A

• Hemophilia A is a hereditary disease that causes the body to produce abnormally low levels of clotting factor VIII. The body uses this factor to develop blood clots and stop bleeding. This condition is caused by a defective gene on an X chromosome and primarily affects men. Bleeding in the joints and internal bleeding may occur with hemophilia A. Physicians may replace the missing clotting factor with factor VIII concentrate medication or increase available factor VIII in the bloodstream with desmopressin drug treatment.

Hemophilia B

• Patients with hemophilia B have a hereditary disorder that causes reduced levels of factor IX, an important blood clotting factor. This condition is also more likely to occur in men and results from an X chromosome abnormality. Individuals with hemophilia B may notice spontaneous bleeding, blood in urine or stools and prolonged bleeding after dental work or superficial cuts. Doctors may treat hemophilia B patients with factor IX concentrate.

Other Bleeding Disorders

• Several other diseases cause excessive bleeding due to problems with the body's blood clotting ability. The body uses numerous clotting factors to develop clots and minimize bleeding. Several bleeding disorders result from insufficient levels of these factors, including factor II deficiency, factor V deficiency and factor VII deficiency. Deficiencies of factor X or factor XII are other bleeding diseases. Patients should see a doctor as soon as possible if they experience severe or unusual bleeding.