Dr Shaun McQueen
MBChB,DA(SA), PDD Sedation

In 1998 I received my medical degree from the University of Stellenbosch.

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I was privileged to complete my internship and community service in the beautiful Southern Cape. My internship at George Hospital was both brutal and wonderful. I’ve made lifelong friendships and gained such great experience as a young doctor. Great mentors made our 100 hours-work-week something to enjoy.

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Here I also found my love for anaesthetics. A discipline that requires a deep understanding of human physiology and pharmacology. A discipline where you need an observant eye, skilled hands and quick thinking. A science-based discipline. I felt at home.

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After my time in in the Southern Cape, I got married to the love of my life and we decided to go abroad to gain some international experience at the Royal Devon & Exeter Hospital in the UK. We enjoyed our time in the UK, but the lovely Western Cape kept calling us back.

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Upon returning to our beloved country. I furthered my career in anaesthetics by obtaining my DA(SA) and a PDD in sedation. In 2005 I started in private practice where I still work today. I’m also affiliated with the Maxillofacial department of the Western Cape where I provide anaesthetics and sedations on a session basis since 2005.

 

In 2016 my life took a turn. A seemingly healthy 42-year-old me - that participated in the Xterra triathlon, several mountain bike races and even more trail runs - turned out not to be so healthy from the inside. Two cardiac stents were placed in November 2016.​

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This was the start of my interest in preventative health. I went on a search for answers. I delved into the literature, read articles, and listened to many podcasts from international health experts.​ I needed to understand how I ended up with cardiac stents.

Arthrosclerosis doesn’t happen overnight, it takes years, even decades to developed. Don’t get me wrong. The current health system, so called “sick care system” , did an excellent job in managing my cardiac issue, but the system failed me in that it didn’t raise any redflags many years before. 

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Today I know that I have a raised lipoprotein(a) level. This is genetically determined and put me at an increased risk for cardiovascular disease.  A "normal" cholesterol level is not good enough for my risk. If I knew my risk earlier, in my twenties, I would have taken a more aggressive approach than advocated in our current healthcare system. I would have aimed for a very, very low cholesterol level. I would specifically lower my ApoB level and I would most likely avoided my stents.

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​The problem is that in today's healthcare model we're not focussed on preventative health and no medical aid would pay for medication to lower my "normal" cholesterol levels at age twenty, but they would be willing to pay for my stents at age 42..Herein lies the problem of today’s sick care system.

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 I will try my best to change the system before I depart this loving life...to empower others to make informed decisions about their health, intervening early enough before disease sets in... data driven, decision making. 

 

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