Antihemophilic - an-tee-hee-moe-FIL-ik factor - AHF is a protein produced naturally in the body. It helps the blood form clots to stop bleeding.
Hemophilia A, also called classical hemophilia, is a condition in which the body does not make enough AHF. If you do not have enough AHF and you become injured, your blood will not form clots as it must and you may bleed into and damage your muscles and joints. One type of AHF is using to treat another condition called von Willebrand disease, in which there is a risk of bleeding. AHF also may be using for other conditions as determined by your family doctor.
The AHF that your family doctor will give you is obtained naturally from human or pig blood or artificially by a man-made process.
AHF obtained from human blood has been treated. It is not likely to contain harmful viruses such as hepatitis B virus; hepatitis C virus - non-A, non-B hepatitis; or human immunodeficiency virus - HIV, the virus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome - AIDS. The man-made and pork AHF products do not contain these viruses.
AHF is available only with your family doctor's prescription, in the following dosage form:
Some commonly using brand names are:
In the USA
In Canada
Generic name product may be available in the USA and Canada.
Other commonly using names are AHF and factor VIII .