Atomic Anesthesia

Welcome to the Atomic Anesthesia podcast hosted by CRNA professor Dr. Rhea Temmermand and Co-Founder Sachi Lord. On this show, you'll hear clear, clinically grounded discussions designed for nurse anesthesia residents and CRNAs who want to feel more confident in complex pharmacology, physiology, and real-world anesthesia decision-making.Want more content like this? Become a member of our learning platform.Strange suffixes, different labs, different hold times and a different antidote for every drug. Anticoagulants are where a lot of board points get lost. In Week 2 of our 12-week SEE/NCE series, we organize every anticoagulant around one question: where in the coagulation cascade does it hit? Answer that, and you can predict the lab, the risks and the reversal.In this episode:A simple map of the coagulation cascade and which lab tests which pathway (PT/INR, aPTT, ACT)Unfractionated heparin, heparin resistance, ACT targets for bypass, and protamine dosing and reactionsHeparin-induced thrombocytopenia: why it's a clotting problem, not a bleeding problemLow-molecular-weight heparin, fondaparinux and the neuraxial hold times you need to knowWarfarin, the "1972" factors, and when to reach for vitamin K, four-factor PCC or FFPThe DOACs and their antidotes (idarucizumab and andexanet alfa), antiplatelet agents, and balancing bleeding against thrombosis💜 FREE DOWNLOADS: Grab your copy of customized study plans & worksheets.SEE/NCE Study Plan — a structured, week-by-week plan to pass your boardsNon-Opioid Pharmacology Cheat Sheet — every non-opioid analgesic you need to know, one pageGPCR Cheat Sheet — G-protein coupled receptors decoded for anesthesia💜 CONNECT: 📥 Email questions, comments or topic suggestions to Rhea or Sachi at [email protected], follow us on social media, and sign up for our newsletter.

Welcome to the Atomic Anesthesia podcast hosted by CRNA professor Dr. Rhea Temmermand and Co-Founder Sachi Lord. On this show, you'll hear clear, clinically grounded discussions designed for nurse anesthesia residents and CRNAs who want to feel more confident in complex pharmacology, physiology, and real-world anesthesia decision-making.Want more content like this? Become a member of our learning platform.Valvular heart disease feels like a memorization topic, but the table of arrows in every review book isn't random. In Week 2 of our 12-week SEE/NCE series, we show you how two questions (pressure or volume problem, systole or diastole) let you rebuild the hemodynamic goals for every valve lesion in the middle of your exam.In this episode:The shortcut: stenosis is full, slow and tight; regurgitation is full, fast and forwardAortic stenosis: severe AS numbers, the atrial kick, why phenylephrine is the go-to and why CPR rarely worksAortic regurgitation: acute vs chronic, why neuraxial is well tolerated, and the balloon pump contraindicationMitral stenosis: protecting the right heart, avoiding PVR triggers, and why wedge pressure overestimates LVEDPMitral regurgitation: the large v wave and why phenylephrine can worsen the leakA rapid-fire board review of every lesion, plus how to handle mixed valve disease💜 FREE DOWNLOADS: Grab your copy of customized study plans & worksheets.SEE/NCE Study Plan — a structured, week-by-week plan to pass your boardsNon-Opioid Pharmacology Cheat Sheet — every non-opioid analgesic you need to know, one pageGPCR Cheat Sheet — G-protein coupled receptors decoded for anesthesia💜 CONNECT: 📥 Email questions, comments or topic suggestions to Rhea or Sachi at [email protected], follow us on social media, and sign up for our newsletter.Mentioned in this episode:💜 PARTNERS: The Incomologists®https://theincomologists.com/ You work hard caring for others—let us take care of you. Whether you’re a W-2 employee or transitioning to a 1099 role, we understand the unique challenges healthcare professionals face, from insurance coverage to financial planning. That’s where we step in. Like you, we are a team of healthcare providers who understand your needs and help you find tailored insurance plans and financial strategies without the hassle or pressure. And we’re a partner you can rely on, today and in the future. We evaluate all available options and resources in the market to protect our clients, so contact us, and we’ll get started! - Jake Bevilacqua, CRNA ([email protected])

In this premium episode, we’re breaking down pharmacokinetics, the concepts that explain what happens to a drug after it enters the body. From distribution and protein binding to metabolism, clearance, and context-sensitive half-time, we’ll connect the equations and terminology to how anesthetic drugs actually behave in the OR and focus on the high-yield concepts you need to know for the SEE/NCE.In this episode:Volume of distribution, protein binding, and drug distributionClearance, elimination, and half-lifeFirst-order vs. zero-order kineticsHepatic extraction ratio and factors that affect drug metabolismContext-sensitive half-time and continuous infusionsHigh-yield pharmacokinetic concepts for the SEE/NCEThis episode is part of our 12-week SEE/NCE podcast series, designed to follow the Atomic Anesthesia SEE/NCE Study Plan week by week.Want to study along with the episode? Join the Atomic Anesthesia learning platform to get the accompanying worksheet, plus access to our members-only podcast episodes and additional SEE/NCE study resources.FREE RESOURCE FOR THIS EPISODE:SEE/NCE Study Plan — A structured, week-by-week plan to pass your boards. Head to atomicanesthesia.com/freebies/see-nce-study-plan to grab it free.WANT THE FULL PLATFORM?Atomic Anesthesia is the all-in-one study platform built specifically for SRNAs: 800 lessons, 10,000 quiz questions, flashcards, and interactive features. Join at atomicanesthesia.com.

In this episode, we’re covering barbiturates and benzodiazepines, two drug classes that both act at the GABA-A receptor but have important differences in their pharmacology, clinical effects, and reversal.In this episode:How barbiturates and benzodiazepines modify the GABA-A receptorWhy barbiturates increase chlo ride channel duration while benzodiazepines increase frequencyMethohexital, thiopental, midazolam, diazepam, and lorazepamKey pharmacokinetic and clinical differences between the major drugsFlumazenil reversal and the board-relevant risks you need to rememberThis episode is part of our 12-week SEE/NCE podcast series, designed to follow the Atomic Anesthesia SEE/NCE Study Plan week by week.Want to study along with the episode? Join the Atomic Anesthesia learning platform to get the accompanying worksheet, plus access to our members-only podcast episodes and additional SEE/NCE study resources.FREE RESOURCE FOR THIS EPISODE:SEE/NCE Study Plan — A structured, week-by-week plan to pass your boards. Head to atomicanesthesia.com/freebies/see-nce-study-plan to grab it free.WANT THE FULL PLATFORM?Atomic Anesthesia is the all-in-one study platform built specifically for SRNAs: 800 lessons, 10,000 quiz questions, flashcards, and interactive features. Join at atomicanesthesia.com.Mentioned in this episode:💜 PARTNERS: The Incomologists®https://theincomologists.com/ You work hard caring for others—let us take care of you. Whether you’re a W-2 employee or transitioning to a 1099 role, we understand the unique challenges healthcare professionals face, from insurance coverage to financial planning. That’s where we step in. Like you, we are a team of healthcare providers who understand your needs and help you find tailored insurance plans and financial strategies without the hassle or pressure. And we’re a partner you can rely on, today and in the future. We evaluate all available options and resources in the market to protect our clients, so contact us, and we’ll get started! - Jake Bevilacqua, CRNA ([email protected])

Neuromuscular blockers are packed with high-yield SEE/NCE material and knowing the drug names isn’t enough. In this episode, we break down the pharmacology you need to understand so you can apply it to board-style questions and clinical scenarios.In this episode:Depolarizing vs nondepolarizing neuromuscular blockadeSuccinylcholine pharmacology, contraindications & major complicationsRocuronium, vecuronium & cisatracuriumPseudocholinesterase deficiency & the dibucaine numberFactors that potentiate or cause resistance to neuromuscular blockadeReversal, residual blockade & high-yield board pearlsThis episode is part of our 12-week SEE/NCE podcast series, designed to follow the Atomic Anesthesia SEE/NCE Study Plan week by week.Want to study along with the episode? Join the Atomic Anesthesia learning platform to get the accompanying worksheet, plus access to our members-only podcast episodes and additional SEE/NCE study resources.FREE RESOURCE FOR THIS EPISODE:SEE/NCE Study Plan — A structured, week-by-week plan to pass your boards. Head to atomicanesthesia.com/freebies/see-nce-study-plan to grab it free.WANT THE FULL PLATFORM?Atomic Anesthesia is the all-in-one study platform built specifically for SRNAs: 800 lessons, 10,000 quiz questions, flashcards, and interactive features. Join at atomicanesthesia.com.Mentioned in this episode:💜 PARTNERS: The Incomologists®https://theincomologists.com/ You work hard caring for others—let us take care of you. Whether you’re a W-2 employee or transitioning to a 1099 role, we understand the unique challenges healthcare professionals face, from insurance coverage to financial planning. That’s where we step in. Like you, we are a team of healthcare providers who understand your needs and help you find tailored insurance plans and financial strategies without the hassle or pressure. And we’re a partner you can rely on, today and in the future. We evaluate all available options and resources in the market to protect our clients, so contact us, and we’ll get started! - Jake Bevilacqua, CRNA ([email protected])