article_snippet.sent: The microscopic particles have previously been shown to cause lung damage and harmful changes in blood vessels and clotting, and are thought to contribute to the deaths of 29,000 people every year in Britain.
article_snippet.sent: They can travel deeply into the lungs and have been associated with increased numbers of hospital admissions for heart attacks and strokes.
article_snippet.sent: ‘The mechanisms remain unclear, but inflammation resulting from the deposit of fine particles in the lungs is likely important.