| paroxysmal cerebral dysrhythmia | A diffusely abnormal electroencephalogram often seen with epilepsy. (05 Mar 2000) |
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| paroxysmal cold haemoglobinuria | <haematology> A rare blood disorder caused by antibodies which destroy red blood cells upon exposure to the cold. The antibodies are formed against a specific blood group and are triggered by the cold. The cause is unknown but the disease has been associated with syphilis and some viral infections. Serum haemoglobin and urine haemoglobin are increased during the attacks. The disease is chronic and treatment is difficult. Some cases resolve spontaneously without treatment. Origin: Gr. Ouron = urine (27 Sep 1997) |
| paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea | Acute dyspnea appearing suddenly at night, usually waking the patient after an hour or two of sleep; caused by pulmonary congestion with or without oedema that results from left-sided heart failure following immobilization of fluid from dependent areas after lying down. (05 Mar 2000) |
| paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnoea | <cardiology> Wakening in the middle of the night with shortness of breath. A symptom of left ventricular failure. (15 Nov 1997) |
| paroxysmal nocturnal haemoglobinuria | An infrequent disorder with insidious onset (usually in the third or fourth decade) and chronic course, characterised by episodes of haemolytic anaemia, haemoglobinuria (chiefly at night), pallor, icterus or bronzing of the skin, a moderate degree of splenomegaly, and sometimes hepatomegaly; red blood cells are usually macrocytic and vary considerably in size, but there is no evidence of spherocytosis, erythrophagocytosis, or abnormal leukocytes. The disorder is a result of an abnormality of the red cell membrane which makes the red cell unusually sensitive to lysis by complement. Synonym: Marchiafava-Micheli anaemia, Marchiafava-Micheli syndrome. (05 Mar 2000) |
| paroxysmal sleep | <neurology> A disorder of sleep associated with excessive daytime sleepiness, involuntary daytime sleep episodes, disturbed nocturnal sleep and cataplexy. Narcolepsy affects over 100,000 people in the United States and appears to have a genetic basis. Symptoms usually begin in the patients twenties. Treatment often includes the use of amphetamines and-or tricyclic antidepressants. (27 Sep 1997) |
| paroxysmal tachycardia | Recurrent attacks of tachycardia, with abrupt onset and often also abrupt termination, originating from an ectopic focus which may be atrial, A-V junctional, or ventricular. (05 Mar 2000) |
| haemoglobinuria, paroxysmal | Disorder characterised by intravascular haemolysis and haemoglobinuria. Some cases occur on exposure to cold and are due to the presence of an autohemolysin in the serum. Other cases are more marked during or immediately after sleep and are considered to be due to an acquired intracorpuscular defect. (12 Dec 1998) |
| idiopathic paroxysmal rhabdomyolysis | Excretion of myoglobin in the urine; results from muscle degeneration, which releases myoglobin into the blood; occurs in certain types of trauma (crush syndrome), advanced or protracted ischemia of muscle, or as a paroxysmal process of unknown aetiology. Synonym: idiopathic paroxysmal rhabdomyolysis, Meyer-Betz disease, Meyer-Betz syndrome. (05 Mar 2000) |
| dyspnea, paroxysmal | A form of respiratory distress related to posture (especially reclining at night) and usually attributed to congestive heart failure with pulmonary oedema. It appears suddenly at night, usually wakening the patient after an hour or two of sleep. It is also called paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea. (12 Dec 1998) |
| tachycardia, paroxysmal | Condition marked by attacks of rapid action of the heart having sudden onset and cessation. (12 Dec 1998) |
| tachycardia, paroxysmal atrial | Bouts of rapid, regular heart beating originating in the atrium (upper chamber of the heart). Often due to abnormalities in the av node relay station that lead to rapid firing of electrical impulses from the atrium which bypass the av node under certain conditions. These conditions include alcohol excess, stress, caffeine, overactive thyroid or excessive thyroid hormone intake, and certain drugs. Pat is an example of an arrhythmia where the abnormality is in the electrical system of the heart, while the heart muscle and valves may be normal. (12 Dec 1998) |
| familial paroxysmal rhabdomyolysis | acute recurrent rhabdomyolysis |