Category: Drug Spotlight

Sugammadex The Reversal Agent Drug Spotlight  ·  Neuromuscular Reversal TL;DR Sugammadex is a modified sugar molecule shaped like a hollow ring. It works by physically trapping steroidal neuromuscular blockers like rocuronium and vecuronium inside its core, pulling them away from the neuromuscular junction and making them pharmacologically inert. That might sound simple, but the implications…

Rocuronium Stay Still Drug Spotlight  ·  Neuromuscular Blocker  ·  nAChR Antagonist TL;DR Rocuronium is the drug that makes intubation possible. It temporarily paralyzes every skeletal muscle in the body, including the diaphragm, so a provider can safely place a breathing tube. It works by blocking the receptors that muscles use to receive the signal to…

Propofol The Milk of Amnesia Drug Spotlight  ·  IV Anesthetic  ·  GABA Modulator TL;DR Propofol is the white, milky-looking IV drug you’ve probably seen in an OR, it’s the most commonly used agent to put patients to sleep before surgery. Chemically it’s called 2,6-diisopropylphenol. It works by enhancing the brain’s main “calm down” signal (GABA),…