In this episode, we explore monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs), one of the oldest yet most effective classes of antidepressants. We discuss how MAOIs such as phenelzine, tranylcypromine, isocarboxazid, and selegiline work by increasing serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine levels in the brain. The episode reviews their unique role in treatment-resistant and atypical depression, key adverse effects, important dietary considerations involving tyramine-containing foods, and potentially serious drug interactions. We also highlight practical clinical pearls to help pharmacists and healthcare professionals safely and effectively use these powerful but often underutilized medications.
Fungal infections are commonly encountered across healthcare settings, ranging from oral thrush and vaginal yeast infections to serious systemic infections in critically ill patients. In this episode, we’ll review the major antifungal medications nurses should know, including azoles, echinocandins, polyenes, and topical antifungals. We’ll focus on practical nursing considerations such as monitoring for adverse effects, recognizing important drug interactions, administration tips, and patient education points. By the end of the episode, listeners will have a stronger understanding of how antifungal medications work and how nurses play a key role in ensuring safe and effective treatment.
You can find the full 16+ hour nursing pharmacology review course, including PDF handouts, cheat sheets, practice questions, and on-demand videos at meded101.com!
In this episode, we break down the pharmacology of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) with a focus on the high-yield clinical pearls pharmacists, medical students, and healthcare professionals need to know. We compare the major SSRIs—including fluoxetine, sertraline, paroxetine, citalopram, escitalopram, and fluvoxamine—based on adverse effects, drug interactions, pharmacokinetics, and board exam relevance. Topics include serotonin syndrome, discontinuation syndrome, CYP450 interactions, QT prolongation, sexual dysfunction, weight changes, and SSRI selection in special populations such as older adults and pregnancy. Whether you are preparing for exams, clinical rotations, or looking to sharpen your psychopharmacology knowledge, this episode provides practical and memorable insights into one of the most commonly prescribed medication classes. This is Part 1 of 2.
This podcast episode provides nurses with a clear, practical overview of non-insulin diabetes medications, focusing on how to safely and effectively manage patients with type 2 diabetes. It reviews key drug classes such as metformin, glipizide, empagliflozin, and semaglutide, emphasizing mechanisms of action, common side effects, and important monitoring parameters. Nurses will learn how to recognize risks like hypoglycemia with sulfonylureas, genitourinary infections with SGLT2 inhibitors, and gastrointestinal effects with GLP-1 agents, along with key patient counseling points. The episode also connects medication selection to real-world considerations such as weight impact, cardiovascular benefit, and kidney function, helping nurses feel more confident in supporting individualized diabetes care.
Asthma is a common chronic respiratory condition that nurses frequently encounter in both outpatient and inpatient settings. Effective medication management is essential for controlling symptoms, preventing exacerbations, and improving long-term respiratory health. In this episode, we’ll review the major medication classes used to manage asthma and highlight key nursing considerations when caring for patients with this condition.
In this episode, we are going to review antiarrhythmic drugs that clinicians may encounter in practice: Digoxin, Propafenone, Dofetilide, and a few others. While these drugs are commonly used in the management of atrial fibrillation and other rhythm disturbances, they each come with important pharmacology and safety considerations that pharmacists and healthcare providers need to recognize.
Digoxin is a cardiac glycoside that increases contractility while also slowing AV node conduction through enhanced vagal tone, making it useful for rate control in atrial fibrillation, particularly in patients with heart failure. However, it has a narrow therapeutic index, and toxicity can occur if renal function declines or electrolyte abnormalities develop.
Propafenone is a Class IC sodium channel blocker used primarily for rhythm control in atrial fibrillation. A key clinical pearl with this medication is that it should generally be avoided in patients with structural heart disease due to the risk of proarrhythmia.
Dofetilide and sotalol are both Class III antiarrhythmics that work by blocking potassium channels and prolonging cardiac repolarization. Because of their ability to prolong the QT interval, both agents carry a risk of torsades de pointes and require careful monitoring. Dofetilide initiation typically requires hospitalization to monitor the QT interval and adjust dosing based on renal function. Sotalol also requires attention to renal function and ECG monitoring, and it has additional beta-blocking effects that can contribute to bradycardia and fatigue.
Throughout this episode, we will break down the mechanisms, common clinical uses, and key safety pearls for these medications to help you better understand how they fit into arrhythmia management.
Antiarrhythmic medications are some of the most complex and high-risk drugs pharmacists encounter in clinical practice. In this episode, we break down the most important concepts pharmacists need to understand about antiarrhythmics, including the major drug classes and the clinical situations where these medications are commonly used.
A major focus of the discussion is medication safety. Many antiarrhythmics carry risks such as QT prolongation, proarrhythmia, and significant drug–drug interactions. Pharmacists play a critical role in identifying these risks, monitoring electrolytes and ECG changes, and recognizing situations where therapy adjustments are necessary. We also highlight why certain medications require inpatient initiation and careful monitoring.
The episode also covers practical clinical pearls, including the unique toxicity profile and interaction potential of amiodarone, how to think about rate control versus rhythm control strategies in atrial fibrillation, and the most common medication-related problems pharmacists should watch for. Whether practicing in ambulatory care, hospital, or long-term care settings, understanding antiarrhythmics can help pharmacists prevent serious complications and improve patient outcomes.
P2Y12 inhibitors are a cornerstone of antiplatelet therapy in cardiovascular disease. These agents block the P2Y12 receptor on platelets, preventing ADP-mediated activation and reducing platelet aggregation. By inhibiting this amplification pathway, they help prevent arterial thrombosis in conditions such as acute coronary syndrome, percutaneous coronary intervention, stroke, and peripheral artery disease. The most commonly used oral agents include clopidogrel, prasugrel, and ticagrelor, each with important pharmacokinetic and clinical differences that influence agent selection.
From a pharmacist’s perspective, choosing the right P2Y12 inhibitor requires balancing ischemic benefit with bleeding risk. Clopidogrel requires CYP2C19 activation and is subject to drug interactions and genetic variability. Prasugrel provides more potent inhibition but carries a higher bleeding risk and is contraindicated in patients with prior stroke or TIA. Ticagrelor offers reversible inhibition but comes with unique considerations such as dyspnea and drug interactions via CYP3A4. Understanding these nuances allows pharmacists to optimize dual antiplatelet therapy and improve patient outcomes.
Fibrate derivatives are lipid-lowering medications that primarily target triglycerides rather than LDL cholesterol. Common agents include gemfibrozil, fenofibrate, and fenofibric acid. While their use has declined with the widespread adoption of statins, fibrates remain an important option for patients with severe hypertriglyceridemia, particularly to reduce the risk of acute pancreatitis rather than for routine cardiovascular risk reduction.
Fibrates work by activating PPAR-alpha, which increases lipoprotein lipase activity and enhances the clearance of triglyceride-rich lipoproteins. This leads to significant reductions in triglycerides, modest increases in HDL cholesterol, and variable effects on LDL cholesterol. Because they are not strong LDL-lowering agents, fibrates should not replace statins in patients who require LDL reduction, but they can be effective in select clinical scenarios when triglycerides are the primary concern.
From a safety standpoint, fibrates are generally well tolerated but require careful monitoring. Common concerns include gastrointestinal side effects, liver enzyme elevations, gallstone risk, and muscle toxicity, especially when combined with statins. Gemfibrozil carries a higher risk of drug interactions, while fenofibrate is usually preferred if combination therapy is necessary. Appropriate patient selection, lab monitoring, and lifestyle counseling are essential to maximize benefit and minimize harm when using fibrate derivatives.
Welcome to today’s episode, where we’re diving into the world of nitrate medications—one of the cornerstone therapies in cardiovascular care. Whether you’re a pharmacist, nurse, med student, or just curious about how medications keep the heart happy, nitrates are fascinating because of their unique mechanism and versatile clinical uses.
Nitrates work by releasing nitric oxide, a powerful molecule that relaxes smooth muscle and dilates blood vessels. This vasodilation primarily reduces venous return to the heart, lowering preload and myocardial oxygen demand, and at higher doses, can also decrease afterload. For patients with angina, this means less chest pain, improved exercise tolerance, and better quality of life.
In this episode, we’ll cover the most commonly used nitrates—from sublingual nitroglycerin for rapid relief of acute angina, to isosorbide dinitrate and mononitrate for chronic management. We’ll discuss how their formulations, onset, and duration of action affect clinical use, and why concepts like tolerance and nitrate-free intervals are critical to understand.
We’ll also explore important drug interactions, including why combining nitrates with PDE5 inhibitors can be dangerous, and highlight practical tips for patient counseling and monitoring. By the end of this episode, you’ll have a clear picture of how and when nitrates are used, and the key pearls every clinician should know to maximize benefit while minimizing risk.
So whether you’re reviewing for boards, prepping for clinical rotations, or just brushing up on cardiovascular pharmacology, stay tuned—we’re about to break down nitrates in a way that’s simple, practical, and memorable.
