Every year on October 13, people around the world come together to mark World Thrombosis Day. It is an opportunity to raise awareness of thrombosis, learn to recognise its signs and symptoms, and understand the steps we can all take to help prevention. 

This Years Theme: From Head to Toe, Take Control

The theme for World Thrombosis Day 2026 is "From Head to Toe, Take Control: Prevent Thrombosis, Protect Your Health". The campaign highlights the relationship between thrombosis and other chronic conditions, such as cancer and heart disease, emphasising the importance of understanding blood clot risk and prevention. 

In 2026, the campaign is also placing a particular focus on women's health, highlighting the unique blood clot risk factors women may face throughout their different stages of life, from adolescence and reproductive health through pregnancy, postpartum, menopause and beyond. 

As part of this year's World Thrombosis Day campaign, this blog brings together research and resources from across Springer Nature exploring these themes, supporting our ongoing commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals, with particular focus on SDG 3: "Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages." From understanding risk factors to prevention and advances in diagnosis and treatment, these featured highlights offer insight into the ongoing work to better understand thrombosis and improve health outcomes. 

Featured Springer Nature Research

Research Article Highlights:

A systematic review in Health Economics Review finds that direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) such as apixaban and rivaroxaban provide effective, safe, and cost-effective treatments for venous thromboembolism, proposing their use as first-line therapy to improve patient outcomes and reduce healthcare costs. 

In Advances in Simulation, a study showed including anaesthesia professionals in EVT simulation training was linked to better anaesthesia care and better outcomes for patients with acute ischaemic stroke. 

An article in BMC Cardiovascular Disorders found that current guidelines recommend dual antiplatelet therapy, typically aspirin plus a P2Y12 inhibitor, as the standard treatment to help prevent blood clots in most patients with acute coronary syndrome.

Another article published in the journal found that adding local elastic compression during thrombolysis was linked to better vein reopening in patients with deep-vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism, without increasing complications. 

Contributions to Thrombosis Journal also include a review assessing the effectiveness of ticagrelor in clinical acute coronary syndrome, and a comprehensive review of three types of drugs commonly used in the treatment of cancer-associated thrombosis.  

Featured Collections:

Springer Nature journals are also welcoming original research submissions related to the mechanisms, etiology and treatment of thrombosis in a number of Collections, including: 

• Advances in Pulmonary Embolism: Intervention, Anticoagulation, Multidisciplinary Teams, and Patient-Reported Outcomes in Thrombosis Journal 

• Heart, Brain, and Clot: Emerging Perspectives on Thrombosis in Journal of Thrombosis and Thrombolysis 

• Decoding Cancer-Associated Thrombosis: From Mechanisms to Multiscale Modeling and Precision Medicine in Discover Life 

• Thrombosis and Bleeding in Structural Heart Disease – Current Evidence and Clinical Challenges in Journal of Thrombosis and Thrombolysis 

Continuing the Conversation

You can explore more research, commentary, and discussion on thrombosis through the Springer Nature Research Communities platform. It features posts from researchers, editors, and other experts, and its search function can help you discover related topics and ongoing developments in the field. 

To learn more about World Thrombosis Day and get involved, visit the official campaign website. There you can find resources, share experiences, raise awareness, and learn how to support thrombosis education and advocacy.