OBJECTIVE To analyze if the levels of von Willebrand factor (FvW) are higher in patients with ischemic heart disease than in healthy subjects and evaluate the relationship of these levels with clinical recurrence and coronary interventionism. METHODS Observational prospective study. METHODS We analyzed the levels of FvW in 75 patients with ischemic heart disease who underwent coronary interventionism (Group I) and compared them with those of 30 healthy subjects with no cardiovascular risk factors and who, theoretically, had no coronary injuries (Group II). METHODS Levels of FvW before coronary interventionism (sample 0), 24 hours after (sample 1), and at three months of out-patient follow-up (sample 2). A single measurement was made of the FvW levels in Group II. RESULTS Subjects with ischemic heart disease had higher levels of FvW than healthy subjects (162+/-74% versus 95+/-33%; p=0.0001). FvW levels were significantly increased after coronary interventionism (162.4+/-74.9% in sample 0 versus 213+/-90% in sample 1; p=0.0001). Patients with clinical symptoms at three months have no significant difference regarding those with no symptoms in the FvW levels (125+/-63% versus 133+/-60%; p=0.57). CONCLUSIONS FvW levels reflect an endothelial alteration in patients with ischemic heart disease. The increase of the levels after coronary interventionism could be due to the endothelial aggression itself of the intervention. It was not possible to demonstrate higher levels of FvW in patients with symptoms in the three month follow-up.