Australian Dental Council (ADC) Practice Test

Von Willebrand's disease is a genetic disorder that affects blood clotting due to a deficiency or dysfunction of von Willebrand factor (vWF), which plays a crucial role in platelet adhesion and coagulation. In patients suspected of having this condition, evaluating the bleeding time and the level of factor VIII is particularly informative.

A prolonged bleeding time can indicate issues with platelet function, which is characteristic of Von Willebrand's disease. This is because vWF is essential for normal platelet aggregation, especially in situations involving damaged blood vessels.

Additionally, factor VIII is closely associated with von Willebrand factor. In Von Willebrand's disease, the factor VIII levels can be low due to its instability without adequate von Willebrand factor. Thus, measuring the levels of factor VIII alongside the bleeding time provides valuable insight into the diagnosis of this disorder.

The other options do not correlate as directly with Von Willebrand's disease. For instance, assessing factor IX or X levels is more relevant to other coagulation disorders, such as hemophilia, rather than to Von Willebrand's disease. The platelet count is also essential in evaluating bleeding disorders but does not specifically indicate the presence or absence of Von Willebrand's disease on its own. Therefore, the assessment of both bleeding time