About Hemophilia

Hemophilia is a disease where the blood clots.  The disease is a sex-linked disorder and the genes for hemophilia are found on the X chromosome.  The X chromosome carries the gene for Hemophilia, which is passed to the child.  Women are usually carriers while men are usually the ones diagnosed with the disease. 

Hemophilia Detection

Hemophilia is detected by blood tests to see how well the blood coagulates.  There are also numerous screening tests that observe the time it takes for a sample of blood mixed with specific chemicals to produce a fibrin clot.  Other screening tests test for the amount of factors VIII and IX in the blood. 

DNA testing is also done to detect whether the genes for Hemophilia are present in the X chromosome of people.

Treatment or Cures

Hemophilia patients need to receive an injection of the clotting factor (VIII or IX) into their blood in order to treat the disease.  If the patient has mild hemophilia, they can take desmopressin acetate, a medication that increases the levels of factor VIII in the body.  The frequency of the treatments depend on how severe the patient's condition is.