Observational studies suggest that exposure to air pollution may worsen symptoms of angina and trigger acute myocardial infarction. These findings are limited by imprecision in the measurement of pollution exposure, the effect of potential confounding environmental and social factors, and the lack of mechanistic data. Controlled exposures of air pollutants can help to address these shortcomings by providing a precisely defined exposure in a regulated environment that facilitates investigation with validated biomarkers and surrogate measures of cardiovascular health. Using a carefully characterised exposure system, we have previously shown in healthy volunteers that exposure to dilute diesel exhaust causes lung inflammation, depletion of airway antioxidant defences, and impairment of vascular and fibrinolytic function. To date, there have been no controlled exposures in patients with coronary heart disease: an important population who may be particularly susceptible to the adverse cardiovascular effects of air pollution.