A 35-year-old woman presents with complaints of easy bruising, heavy menstrual bleeding, and frequent nosebleeds. Upon conducting laboratory tests, the results show a prolonged bleeding time, a normal platelet count, and a normal coagulation profile. A deficiency of von Willebrand factor is suspected. Which of the following describes the underlying pathophysiology?
O Active platelet destruction
O Inflammation in the vessel walls
O Enhanced platelet aggregation
O Impaired adhesion of platelets to endothelium