The BBC reports on a study showing that low levels of carbon monoxide, in the range encountered from vehicle traffic, can cause cardiac arrhythmia:
Carbon monoxide is produced by faulty boilers, cigarettes and car exhausts.
It is deadly at high levels as it "shoulder-barges" oxygen out of the blood, meaning less is transported around the body. Carbon monoxide poisoning kills more than 50 people in the UK each year and many more around the world.
However, studies have suggested that even low levels, such as that found in built-up cities with lots of traffic, may also damage the heart.
The University of Leeds research team found that the gas kept sodium channels, which are important for controlling the heartbeat, open for longer.
Disrupting the sodium channels can disrupt the heart's rhythm, leading to cardiac arrhythmia, which can be fatal.
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