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A substantial body of evidence shows that air pollution is associated with adverse cardiovascular events, but the mechanism of this phenomenon is unknown. In a randomized, double-blind, crossover study, 20 men with known coronary heart disease (prior myocardial infarction) exercised in a chamber in which the ambient atmosphere consisted of either dilute diesel exhaust (at a fixed concentration similar to that occurring in heavy traffic) or filtered air. Patients underwent electrocardiography monitoring to assess myocardial effects of exposure, received infusions of three vasodilators with measurement of vascular tone to assess vasomotor effects, and had blood testing for fibrinolytic and inflammatory markers to assess fibrinolytic effects.
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