Check Your Symptoms

VWD is not easily diagnosed

Without a family history of VWD, many people with VWD do not receive a diagnosis until they are adults. Diagnosis of VWD usually occurs after a severe bleeding episode related to surgery, trauma, or dental procedures, or during childbirth.1

Other factors that complicate recognition of VWD1:

  • Symptoms may be different for each person—even those who are related
  • Symptoms can change over time

For all these reasons, it’s important to know the signs of VWD, get tested, and, if you do have VWD, encourage other family members to get tested.

Signs and symptoms of VWD

  1. Easy bruising
  2. Frequent or prolonged nosebleeds
  3. Heavy or prolonged menstrual periods
  4. Prolonged bleeding following injury, childbirth, or surgery
  5. Prolonged bleeding during dental procedures

Getting tested for VWD

If you have any symptoms of VWD, you should get tested. Why?

  • If you are injured in an accident or need surgery, you could experience heavy and prolonged bleeding
  • To ensure you receive the proper treatment, your doctor would need to know what’s causing the extra bleeding—the VWD or the injury itself

If you suspect you have a bleeding disorder, it’s best to consult with a hematologist—a doctor who specializes in testing for and treating bleeding disorders—to make or rule out a diagnosis of VWD. The hematologist will take the following steps to assess your condition:

  1. Take your health history, with a special focus on:
    1. Your bleeding history
    2. The bleeding patterns of your family members*
  2. Perform blood tests, which will show:
    1. Whether or not you have VWD
    2. What type of VWD you have
      1. Blood tests may need to be done more than once because the amount of von Willebrand factor in someone’s blood can vary at different times

*In most cases, a person inherits VWD from a parent. In rare cases, VWD can appear in those whose parents do not have the disorder.2

References:

  1. Kleinert D, Orto C, Gioia K, Hannan M. von Willebrand disease: a nursing perspective. J Obstet Gynecol Neonatal Nurs. 1997;26: 271-276.
  2. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. The Diagnosis, Evaluation, and Management of von Willebrand Disease. Bethesda, MD: National Institutes of Health; 2007. NIH Publication No. 08-5832.

Important Safety Information

Stimate® (desmopressin acetate) Nasal Spray, 1.5 mg/mL is a treatment used to stop some types of bleeding in people with mild hemophilia A or mild to moderate von Willebrand disease (VWD) Type 1. Stimate Nasal Spray should not be used in children under 11 months of age.

All patients using Stimate Nasal Spray are at risk of water intoxication, fluid overload and low sodium levels in the blood. Follow your healthcare provider’s instructions on limiting the amount of fluid you drink when using Stimate Nasal Spray, as too much fluid intake can lead to serious adverse reactions, including seizures, coma, and even death. Fluid restrictions are especially important for children and elderly patients, as they are at higher risk for these reactions.

See the patient information leaflet in the prescribing information for Stimate Nasal Spray for symptoms that could mean your blood sodium level is low—including headache, hallucinations, confusion, restlessness, weight gain and muscle spasms. Immediately report any of these symptoms to your physician or, if necessary, an emergency department. Also contact your doctor immediately if you have uncontrolled bleeding.

Before being prescribed Stimate Nasal Spray, make sure your doctor knows about all your medical conditions and about any medications you are taking. Use Stimate Nasal Spray exactly as your healthcare provider has instructed.

Side effects of Stimate Nasal Spray generally come from having too much water in the body. The most common include facial flushing, nasal congestion, runny nose, nose bleed, sore throat, cough, and upper respiratory infections. Tell your healthcare provider if you experience a side effect that does not go away.

Please see full prescribing information for Stimate Nasal Spray

You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088.