Which diseases cause bleeding? Understanding the Causes of Hemorrhagic Conditions

September 25, 2025 •

4 min read

According to the National Institutes of Health, bleeding disorders are conditions where the blood doesn't clot properly, leading to prolonged bleeding. Understanding which diseases cause bleeding is a crucial first step toward recognizing symptoms and getting the right diagnosis and treatment.

Quick Summary

Bleeding can be triggered by a wide range of diseases, including inherited disorders like hemophilia and von Willebrand disease, acquired conditions affecting the liver or platelets, and systemic illnesses such as certain cancers and autoimmune disorders.

Key Points

Inherited vs. Acquired: Bleeding disorders can be genetic, like hemophilia and VWD, or acquired due to other illnesses such as liver disease.
Platelet and Factor Issues: Bleeding often stems from problems with blood platelets or the protein-based clotting factors.
Systemic Conditions: Certain cancers, especially leukemia, and autoimmune diseases can disrupt the body's clotting functions.
Organ Health: The liver is vital for clotting factor production, so advanced liver disease is a common cause of bleeding.
Vascular Fragility: Some disorders, like HHT, cause fragile blood vessels that are prone to spontaneous bleeding.
Seeking Medical Advice: Any unexplained or excessive bleeding warrants a medical evaluation to determine the cause and proper treatment.

The Intricate Process of Blood Clotting

To understand why diseases can cause bleeding, one must first grasp the normal process of hemostasis, or blood clotting. This complex sequence involves platelets and multiple clotting factors—proteins circulating in the blood. When a blood vessel is injured, platelets rush to the site to form a plug. This is followed by a cascade of clotting factors that strengthens the plug, creating a stable fibrin clot to stop the bleeding. When a disease disrupts this process, the body's ability to stop bleeding is compromised.

Inherited Bleeding Disorders

These conditions are genetic and passed down through families, causing defects in the body's clotting factors or platelets.

Hemophilia

This is one of the most well-known inherited bleeding disorders. It is caused by a deficiency in specific clotting factors.

Hemophilia A: The most common type, resulting from a missing or low level of clotting factor VIII.
Hemophilia B: Caused by a deficiency of clotting factor IX.
Hemophilia C: A rarer form caused by a deficiency of clotting factor XI. Bleeding is typically less severe than in types A or B.

Von Willebrand Disease (VWD)

As the most common inherited bleeding disorder, VWD is caused by a defect in von Willebrand factor, a protein that helps blood clot. Symptoms can range from mild to severe and include easy bruising, frequent nosebleeds, and heavy menstrual bleeding in women.

Rare Factor Deficiencies

Less common inherited disorders can affect other clotting factors, such as factor I, II, V, VII, X, and XIII. The severity and type of bleeding depend on which factor is affected.

Acquired Diseases Affecting Coagulation

Unlike inherited disorders, these conditions develop during a person's lifetime due to other medical issues.

Liver Disease

The liver is responsible for producing most of the body's clotting factors. Severe liver disease, such as cirrhosis or hepatitis, can impair this production, leading to a deficiency of clotting factors and excessive bleeding.

Vitamin K Deficiency

Vitamin K is essential for the production of several key clotting factors. A severe deficiency can lead to significant bleeding. This can occur in newborns (prevented by a routine vitamin K shot) or in adults with nutritional deficiencies or liver problems.

Cancers and Autoimmune Conditions

Certain systemic diseases can disrupt the body's clotting mechanism.

Leukemia: This cancer of the blood and bone marrow can cause low platelet counts (thrombocytopenia) or abnormal white blood cells that interfere with clotting.
Immune Thrombocytopenia (ITP): An autoimmune disorder where the body's immune system mistakenly attacks and destroys its own platelets, leading to low platelet counts and bleeding.
Lupus: This autoimmune disease can cause vasculitis (inflammation of blood vessels) and affect platelets, leading to bleeding or clotting issues.

Gastrointestinal and Vascular Conditions

Bleeding can originate directly from damage to blood vessels or internal organs.

Gastrointestinal Bleeding

Conditions affecting the digestive tract are a frequent cause of bleeding, often presenting as blood in the stool or vomit.

Peptic Ulcers: Sores in the stomach or small intestine lining that can bleed.
Inflammatory Bowel Disease (Crohn's Disease, Ulcerative Colitis): Inflammation of the GI tract can cause bleeding.
Diverticular Disease: Small pouches forming in the colon wall can rupture and bleed.

Vascular Disorders

Bleeding can also result from abnormalities in the blood vessels themselves.

Hereditary Hemorrhagic Telangiectasia (HHT): This inherited disorder causes abnormal tangles of blood vessels, which are fragile and prone to rupture and bleeding.
Vasculitis: Inflammation of the blood vessels, which can lead to damage and leakage of blood under the skin (purpura).

Comparison of Key Bleeding Disorders


Feature	Hemophilia A	Von Willebrand Disease (VWD)	Liver Disease	ITP
Underlying Cause	Factor VIII deficiency	Defective or deficient von Willebrand factor	Impaired synthesis of clotting factors	Autoimmune destruction of platelets
Inherited vs. Acquired	Inherited (X-linked)	Inherited (autosomal)	Acquired	Acquired (autoimmune)
Severity	Ranges from mild to severe	Highly variable, depends on type	Can be mild to life-threatening	Variable, can be chronic
Common Symptoms	Joint and muscle bleeding	Easy bruising, mucosal bleeding	Bruising, GI bleeding	Petechiae, purpura, easy bruising

What to Do If You Experience Unusual Bleeding

If you experience any unexplained or excessive bleeding, it is crucial to consult a healthcare professional. A thorough medical evaluation is necessary to determine the underlying cause. This may include a review of your personal and family medical history, physical examination, and various blood tests to assess your platelet count, clotting times (PT/INR and PTT), and the function and levels of specific clotting factors.

Conclusion

Identifying which diseases cause bleeding requires a comprehensive understanding of both inherited and acquired conditions that can affect the body's complex clotting process. From genetic disorders like hemophilia to acquired issues such as liver disease and autoimmune problems, the origins are diverse. Timely and accurate diagnosis is essential for effective management and can be life-saving. Remember that persistent or severe bleeding is never normal and should always be addressed by a medical expert. For more information on bleeding disorders, you can visit the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.

Frequently Asked Questions

The most common inherited bleeding disorders are von Willebrand disease (VWD) and hemophilia (A and B). VWD affects the von Willebrand factor, while hemophilia impacts specific clotting factors, leading to prolonged bleeding.

Yes, severe liver disease, such as cirrhosis, can cause bleeding. The liver produces many of the body's clotting factors, and its impairment can lead to a significant deficiency in these proteins, resulting in excessive bleeding and bruising.

Yes, some cancers, particularly leukemias and other blood cancers, can cause bleeding by lowering the body's platelet count. Other cancers can cause bleeding by invading or pressing on blood vessels or by causing systemic issues that affect coagulation.

Symptoms that may indicate a serious bleeding disorder include frequent or heavy nosebleeds, easy or large bruises, prolonged bleeding from small cuts, heavy menstrual periods, or bleeding into the joints or muscles. It's best to consult a doctor for any persistent, unexplained bleeding.

Yes, a severe deficiency in vitamin K can lead to bleeding. Vitamin K is crucial for the liver's production of several clotting factors. This is particularly relevant in newborns or people with poor nutrition.

While excessive bleeding can indicate a serious underlying disease, it is not always the case. Some medications, such as blood thinners or even common pain relievers, can increase bleeding risk. However, it's always safest to consult a healthcare provider to rule out any serious conditions.

Doctors typically diagnose the cause of a bleeding problem through a series of tests. This may include a complete blood count to check platelet levels, as well as tests like PT and PTT to measure the blood's clotting time. Further investigation may involve testing specific clotting factor levels.