paroxysmaal

Paroxysmaal is a Dutch adjective used in medical contexts to describe symptoms or events that begin abruptly and subside quickly, occurring in discrete episodes or attacks rather than as a continuous process. The word derives from the Greek paroxysmos, meaning a sudden onset or burst, and the Dutch suffix -aal which forms adjectives describing a characteristic.

In clinical use, paroxysmaal denotes patterns that are intermittent and time-bound: an abrupt start, a finite duration, and a return to baseline between episodes. It is applied to various conditions, including paroxysmal seizures, paroxysmal atrial fibrillation or tachycardia, and respiratory or pain phenomena such as paroxysmal coughing, paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea, or paroxysmal headaches. The term helps distinguish episodic attacks from chronic or continuously present symptoms.

Diagnosis relies on documenting the temporal pattern and underlying cause. Investigations may include EEG for seizures, ECG or Holter monitoring for arrhythmias, imaging for structural disease, and clinical history. Treatment targets the root condition and may reduce attack frequency or severity; management strategies vary from antiseizure medications and antiarrhythmics to bronchodilators or heart failure therapies, depending on the episode's origin.

See also: paroxysm, paroxysmal disorders, paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea. In Dutch medical literature, paroxysmaal is routinely used to translate the English paroxysmal, and is part of standard clinical vocabulary.