Hemophilia Treatment
ALBANY REGIONAL HEMOPHILIA AND vonWILLEBRAND'S TREATMENT CENTER at Albany Medical Center Hospital
Providing comprehensive health care for patients with mild to severe Hemophilia A, Hemophilia B, von Willebrand's disease and Thrombophilia in the Albany, New York region.
What is Hemophilia?
Hemophilia is a hereditary clotting disorder. It occurs when a male individual lacks one of the blood proteins needed to clot blood. The only way to correct the effects of hemophilia is to infuse the missing clotting factor or to use DDAVP. Women, although carriers of the Hemophilia gene, do not generally exhibit symptoms of Hemophilia.
Hemophilia A (factor VIII deficiency), hemophilia B (factor IX deficiency) and other factor deficiencies are all coagulation (clotting) disorders. They are treated with a variety of products that enable a person with hemophilia to lead a very normal life.
What is vonWillebrand's Disease?
It is also a heredity clotting disorder. Both men and women may have this diagnosis, some more seriously than others. Generally, the patient lacks what is known as the vonWillebrand protein, which causes varying degrees of blood loss, usually in and around mucus membranes--such as frequent nosebleeds, heavy uterine bleeding, and extended bleeding after surgeries or dental work. Medications are also available to treat this disorder and patients lead a normal life.
What is "Comprehensive" Care?
Comprehensive care is an approach to health care that encourages a team of different medical and psychosocial specialists to share input for the benefit of the person with the disorder. This "team approach" helps to ensure that each patient gets the most appropriate care according to his or her individual needs.
The comprehensive care team consults with each other, with the primary care physician, with each patient, or with the patient's family to provide optimal care and decrease the physical and emotional disabilities that can accompany a bleeding disorder.
When coming to the clinic, people with the bleeding disorder are informed of their individual condition and medical needs. They can take that information back to their own primary care providers and play an active role in their own care. The person with hemophilia can feel assured that there is a supportive and receptive professional team standing behind him or her.
