Working for the People Who Saved My Life

Shawn Ghent, M.D., FCCP has been practicing pulmonary medicine—the study of lung and breathing disorders—for over 20 years. Recently, though, he became a patient himself. Last September, the College of Charleston and USC School of Medicine alum suffered from a STEMI—the deadliest type of heart attack—and was treated at Providence. There he received a stent and emergent angioplasty from one of the nation’s top heart hospitals, which he credits with saving his life.

During his recovery process at Providence Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation, he was introduced to a future colleague, and within months he joined Midlands Pulmonary, Critical Care & Sleep Medicine, a practice that helps patients tackle sleep apnea, a contributor to heart disease and stroke.

With treatment of sleep apnea we can make an almost immediate impact on your quality of life, which makes my work very rewarding, says Dr. Ghent.

 Dr. Ghent identified some frequently asked questions about the condition:

What is sleep apnea?
Sleep apnea is a condition where a person stops breathing while they are asleep. It is often noticed first by a family member or coworker that notices symptoms you likely may not see such as sleepiness or snoring, but patients might also experience early morning headaches. The condition changes your cognitive functions such as memory, and increases the chances of dangerous events like a car accident. That’s why Dr. Ghent and the team at Providence work so hard to help patients diagnose this condition early, as sleep apnea may also be linked to elevated blood pressure, heart disease and stroke.

Why is this condition so dangerous?
Sleep apnea can be dangerous not only to the person suffering from the condition, but to others. For example, Dr. Ghent recalls a scenario where a truck driver found asleep at a truck stop could well have been on the road when the condition affected his work. He was diagnosed, treated, underwent weight loss and can continue to work because of treatment.

How do I find out if I have Sleep Apnea?
Sleep apnea is most common in overweight adults who are over the age of 30. To find out of you have sleep apnea you will need to undergo a sleep study. Typically, a primary care provider will refer a patient for a sleep study to diagnose sleep apnea.

A sleep study measures brain wave patterns, air intake at a patient’s nose and mouth, and monitors chest and abdominal movement, oxygen levels and limb movements during sleep. In most cases, Insurance, Medicare and Medicaid will cover the cost of this testing.

How is Sleep Apnea treated?
Treating sleep apnea can be simpler than you might think. Weight loss is one way to combat sleep apnea, as are dental devices. In some cases a CPAP or continuous positive airway pressure device may be used to help a patient while sleeping.

Do you think you have a sleep apnea or another sleep disorder that could be dangerous to your health or others?
Contact your primary care physician, and ask about Providence Sleep Disorders Centers (located at both our Downtown campus of Providence Hospital on Forest Drive and on our Providence Hospital Northeast campus).

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