Studies performed at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, have linked obstructive sleep apnea with cardiovascular disease. According to a study published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care, 25 October 2013, and reported by Medical News Today, researchers have now determined that severe obstructive sleep apnea may increase the risk for subclinical myocardial injury, an early sign of heart damage. Sleep apnea is a very common, however, often undiagnosed, sleep disorder that occurs when one ceases to breathe during sleep. This can last for several seconds and can occur hundreds of times throughout sleep. Persons that suffer from sleep apnea may awaken with a dry mouth or sore throat and morning headaches. The pauses in breathing interrupt the normal sleep pattern leading to daytime sleepiness, loss of energy, poor concentration and slow reflexes. Most sleep apnea patients, however, may be quite unaware that they have this sleep disorder and are oftentimes only alerted by their sleeping partner who may notice some of the symptoms, such as loud snoring, very shallow breathing, snorting or gasping during sleep and long and frequent pauses in breathing.