A new study published in the latest issue of Environmental Health Perspectives has revealed that long-term exposure to air pollution may lead to the development of atherosclerosis.Atherosclerosis is a form of cardiovascular disease in which fatty deposits cause artery walls to thicken and harden.The study adds to the growing body of literature linking air pollution with cardiovascular disease and provides the first epidemiologic evidence linking atherosclerosis with exposure to fine particulate matter.The researchers evaluated 798 healthy Los Angeles-area men and women over the age of 40 who showed some signs of increased risk of cardiovascular disease.