From diagnosis to dose selection
Hemophilia A is caused by factor VIII deficiency and is inherited linked to the X chromosome, so it affects mostly men. The severity of the disease directly depends on the level of the factor: less than 1 percent is a severe form with spontaneous hemorrhages in the joints, 1–5 percent is moderate, 5–40 percent is mild, in which bleeding occurs only after injuries and operations. Determining the level of the factor not only establishes the diagnosis, but also determines the regimen of replacement therapy and the dose of the drug before interventions. The indicator is also reduced in von Willebrand disease, since von Willebrand factor serves as a carrier of factor VIII. An increase in factor VIII, on the contrary, is an independent risk factor for venous thrombosis.
How to prepare to donate blood
- on an empty stomach 8–12 hours, you can drink water
- Eliminate alcohol and intense exercise per day
- no smoking in an hour
- donate blood before physiotherapy, x-rays and massage
- Take medications in advance by agreeing with your doctor
How to read the result
Reference values depend on the method and equipment of the laboratory, so it is correct to compare results only within the same laboratory. A deviation of a few percent from the normal limit in itself rarely matters - the overall picture and dynamics are important.
The analysis must be interpreted by a doctor: an isolated indicator without a clinical context is often misleading and leads to unnecessary examinations.