SAN DIEGO -- David Cronister likes to stick close to his home in San Diego for peace of mind. He has a rare disorder called hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT) or Osler-Weber-Rendu syndrome.

HHT causes the growth of abnormal blood vessels.

"It's a disorder that many patients come to us (about) because they have a nose that's bleeding frequently, " University of California San Diego interventional radiologist Dr. Frank Miller said.

And it's not just a regular bloody nose. Cronister said his nosebleeds can last up to five minutes.

"It pours like a stream of water," he said.

Frequent and severe nosebleeds are the hallmark of the disease, but there are other hidden complications that can be deadly, according to Miller.

Abnormal blood vessels can show up in the lungs, brain and liver.

"It's a malformation where a clot can pass and give a stroke," Miller said.

HHT is often misdiagnosed and many doctors mistake frequent nosebleeds for other conditions.

University of California San Diego Medical Center is one of only eight centers in the United States that specializes in the rare disease.

"If you are going to have an inherited disease, I suppose this is one of those that's a better one because we can prevent some of the serious complications that come up with this disorder," Miller said.

Miller said anyone with a family history of nosebleeds should be screened for HHT.

"We can now take a sample of blood from a patient and we can run their family members and find out if they have this disorder," Miller said.

Cronister has not had any serious malformations yet.

"My brain is clear and my lungs are clear," he said.

Cronister encourages others with a family history of nosebleeds to get screened for the unusual disease.

"We just need more people to come forward. It's very important," he said.

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