Long-term exposure to air pollution poses an increased risk of blood clots in deep veins, which can result in serious complications, including death, a new study indicates. The most comprehensive U.S. study reporting on this connection with three types of air pollutants was published Thursday in the journal Blood, a publication of the American Society of Hematology. Air pollution exposure can lead to inflammation and contribute to blood clotting. It has long been linked to cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, and earlier research also suggested an association with venous thromboembolism, or VTE. Up to 900,000 Americans experience VTE annually. Age, surgery, extended periods of inactivity, heart disease, pregnancy and genetics also can raise the risk. VTE includes deep vein thrombosis, when a blood clot forms in a deep vein of the legs, arms or an internal organ, and pulmonary embolism, which strikes when a blood clot breaks off from such a vein and travels to the lungs. To read the full story.