| paradoxical respiration | Deflation of the lung during inspiration and inflation of the lung during the phase of expiration; seen in the lung on the side of an open pneumothorax. (05 Mar 2000) |
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| paradoxical sleep | A deep sleep, with a brain wave pattern more like that of waking states than of other states of sleep, which occurs during rapid eye movement sleep. (05 Mar 2000) |
| paradoxical triceps reflex | Flexion of the forearm caused by tapping the olecranon. Synonym: paradoxical triceps reflex. (05 Mar 2000) |
| reversed paradoxical pulse | A pulse in which the amplitude increases with inspiration and decreases with expiration, as observed in some cases of tricuspid insufficiency and during A-V dissociation with sinus arrhythmia. (05 Mar 2000) |
| Hunt's paradoxical phenomenon | In dystonia musculorum deformans, if an attempt is made at plantar flexion of the foot when the foot is in dorsal spasm the only response is an increase of the extensor, or dorsal, spasm; if, however, the patient is told to extend the foot which is already in a state of strong dorsal flexion, there will be a sudden movement of plantar flexion; the same phenomenon, mutatis mutandis, is observed when there is a condition of strong plantar flexion. (05 Mar 2000) |
| embolism, paradoxical | Passage of a clot (thrombus) from a vein to an artery. When clots in veins break off (embolise) , they travel first to the right side of the heart and, normally, then to the lungs where they lodge. The lungs act as a filter to prevent the clots from entering the arterial circulation. However, when there is a hole in the wall between the two upper chambers of the heart (an atrial septal defect), a clot can cross from the right to the left side of the heart, then pass into the arteries as a paradoxical embolism. Once in the arterial circulation, a clot can travel to the brain, block a vessel there, and cause a stroke (cerebrovascular accident). Because of the risk of stroke from paradoxical embolism, it is usually recommended that even small atrial septal defects be repaired. Also called crossed embolism. (12 Dec 1998) |
| Kussmaul's paradoxical pulse | An exaggeration of the normal variation in the pulse volume with respiration, becoming weaker with inspiration and stronger with expiration; characteristic of cardiac tamponade, rare in constrictive pericarditis; so called because these changes are independent of changes in the cardiac rate as measured directly or by electrocardiogram. Synonym: pulsus paradoxus, pulsus respiratione intermittens. (05 Mar 2000) |