Blood Clot News and Research

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A Blood Clot is a mass of blood that forms when blood platelets, proteins, and cells stick together. When a blood clot is attached to the wall of a blood vessel, it is called a thrombus. When it moves through the bloodstream and blocks the flow of blood in another part of the body, it is called an embolus.

Fatty liver disease linked to higher risk of heart attacks

Researchers at Mass General Brigham Heart and Vascular Institute found that people with hepatic steatosis, commonly called "fatty liver disease," have a higher amount of noncalcified, rupture-prone coronary plaque and face nearly twice the rate of cardiovascular events compared to those without steatosis.

20 May 2026

Tranexamic acid modestly reduces bleeding after cesarean delivery in women

Giving tranexamic acid to women with placenta praevia (when the placenta covers the cervical opening) undergoing cesarean birth leads to a significant yet modest reduction in severe bleeding after delivery with no evidence of an increase in serious adverse events, finds a trial from China published by The BMJ today.

13 May 2026

Climate change increases stroke risk through extreme weather and pollution

The World Stroke Organization is warning that climate change poses an escalating threat to brain health, with extreme heat in particular increasing the risk of having a stroke and of patients dying from stroke.

30 Apr 2026

Apixaban reduces complications, helps older adults spend more time at home after blood clots

Older adults recovering from serious blood clots often face long periods of hospitalization or rehabilitation due to a higher rate of recurrence.

27 Apr 2026

Minimally-invasive stenting effectively treats painful post-thrombotic syndrome

A major multi-site clinical trial co-led by researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis has shown that post-thrombotic syndrome - a common and often painful complication suffered by many people who have experienced blockages of major veins due to blood clots - can be effectively treated with a minimally invasive procedure.

13 Apr 2026

New guidelines and follow-up standards improve pulmonary embolism outcomes

Pulmonary embolism, or PE, is a serious and sometimes life-threatening condition that occurs when a blood clot travels to the lungs and blocks blood flow.

8 Apr 2026

Angioplasty improves symptoms in chronic total coronary occlusion patients

In what is believed to be the first randomized placebo-controlled trial of its kind, patients with a chronic total blockage of a coronary artery who received a nonsurgical procedure to reopen the artery showed statistically significant reductions in chest pain and improvements in quality of life compared with patients who received a placebo procedure.

29 Mar 2026

Catheter-based approach improves prognosis in pulmonary embolism patients

Patients who had low doses of clot-buster drugs delivered directly to the site of a pulmonary embolism (PE) via a catheter using ultrasound to enhance their effect had significantly better outcomes than those who received standard systemic anticoagulants, according to a study presented at the American College of Cardiology's Annual Scientific Session (ACC.26).

28 Mar 2026

Apixaban safer than rivaroxaban for treating venous thrombosis

The first clinical trial to compare two commonly used drugs head-to-head for venous thrombosis treatment has found a clear winner: while both drugs work well to prevent recurrent blood clots, apixaban is safer than rivaroxaban, with fewer bleeding complications.

11 Mar 2026

Recreational drugs significantly increase the risk of stroke

The recreational drugs cannabis, cocaine and amphetamines significantly increase the risk of stroke – including among younger users – Cambridge researchers have concluded after analyzing data from more than 100 million people.

9 Mar 2026

Taking anticoagulants alongside prostate cancer drugs does not increase bleeding risk

In a study of adults with advanced prostate cancer taking androgen-receptor pathway inhibitors and different types of anticoagulants, investigators found no evidence of an increase in patients' bleeding or clotting risks, despite previous lab results that raised alarms.

9 Mar 2026

New study examines blood clot risks for female astronauts in microgravity

Just a few days in simulated microgravity can subtly change the way women's blood clots, sparking bigger questions about health monitoring protocols for astronauts who can spend six months or more in orbit, say Simon Fraser University researchers.

4 Mar 2026

Electrohydrodynamic bioprinting creates living muscle tissues with tightly aligned cells inside

Building functional human muscle in the laboratory has long been a goal of regenerative medicine, but one stubborn obstacle remains: real muscle is not just a mass of cells.

2 Mar 2026

Rising vitamin K shot refusal increases newborn brain injury risk

Increasing numbers of parents are refusing vitamin K shots for their newborns, putting infants at greater risk of avoidable brain injuries, according to a preliminary systematic review released February 26, 2026, that will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology's 78th Annual Meeting taking place April 18-22, 2026, in Chicago and online.

26 Feb 2026

New guidelines outline comprehensive care for acute pulmonary embolism

Early detection and prompt treatment of acute pulmonary embolism (PE), a sudden and potentially life-threatening blood clot that blocks arteries in the lungs, is critical.

19 Feb 2026

4D-printed vascular stents expand naturally at body temperature

Cardiovascular diseases constitute a major global health concern. Various complications that affect normal blood flow in arteries and veins, such as stroke, blood clot formation in veins, blood vessel rupture, and coronary artery disease, often require vascular treatments.

6 Feb 2026

Investigational anti-clotting drug reduces risk of second ischemic stroke without bleeding concerns

An investigational anti-clotting medication, asundexian, demonstrated a reduction in the risk of a second ischemic (clot-caused) stroke without raising bleeding concerns, according to a preliminary late-breaking science presentation at the American Stroke Association's International Stroke Conference 2026.

6 Feb 2026

Post-thrombectomy alteplase linked to better stroke outcomes

Giving the clot-busting medication alteplase at the site of a blocked brain artery after blood clot removal may increase the number of patients who fully recover, according to preliminary late-breaking science presented at the American Stroke Association's International Stroke Conference 2026.

4 Feb 2026

Antiplatelet medications linked to worse outcomes in people hospitalized with a brain bleed

Analysis of hospital registry data found that people who were hospitalized due to bleeding in the brain and who had taken multiple antiplatelet medications, or medications stronger than aspirin, were more likely to die before leaving the hospital compared to those not taking any antiplatelet medication, according to a preliminary study to be presented at the American Stroke Association's International Stroke Conference 2026.

29 Jan 2026

New 2026 guideline expands access to advanced acute ischemic stroke care

Expanded eligibility for advanced stroke therapies and new recommendations for diagnosing and treating stroke in children and adults are among the major updates in the new 2026 Guideline for the Early Management of Patients With Acute Ischemic Stroke from the American Stroke Association, a division of the American Heart Association, published today in the Association's flagship journal Stroke.

26 Jan 2026