"To Catch A Thief"

KRISTI BOEKER
MARCH 27, 2003
4TH

HEMOPHILIA RESEARCH PAPER

HEMOPHILIA IS A HEREDITARY DISEASE, IN WHICH THE BLOOD'S ABILITY TO CLOT IS MARKEDLY IMPAIRED. WHEN A NORMAL PERSON RECEIVES A CUT OR OTHER INJURY, BLOOD FLOWING FROM THE DAMAGED BLOOD VESSELS RAPIDLY FORMS A CLOT THAT SERVES TO STOP THE BLEEDING. WHEN A HEMOPHILIAC RECEIVES A CUT OR OTHER INJURY, HE MAY BLEED FOR HOURS OR EVEN DAYS. ALTHOUGH SOME HEMOPHILIACS LIVE FAIRLY NORMAL LIVES, OTHERS ARE SEVERLY DEBILITATED AND MANY DIE PREMATURELY. THIS DISEASE AFFECTS MOSTLY MALES. WOMEN WITH A BLEEDING DISORDER MAY HAVE FREQUENT MISCARRIAGES, ESPECIALLY DURING THE FIRST TRIMESTER. DISEASES IN THIS CATEGORY INCLUDE HEMOPHILIA AHEMOPHILIA BVON WILLEBRAND'S DISEASE. THERE ARE TWO BASIC TYPES OF HEMOPHILIA. IN HEMOPHILIA A, WHICH IS ALSO CALLED CLASSICAL HEMOPHILIA, A PARTICULAR BLOOD CLOTTING FACTOR, KNOWN AS THE ANTHEMOPHILIC GLOBULIN, AHG, OR FACTOR VIII, IS ABSENT OR GREATLY DIMINISHED. IN HEMOPHILIA B, A DIFFE...