PND stands for?

• A. Paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea
• B. Paroxysmal nocturnal discharge
• C. Paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea syndrome
• D. Postnasal drainage

Answer: (A)

Paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea describes waking at night from sudden breathlessness caused by fluid shifting into the lungs when lying flat. This symptom is classically linked to left-sided heart failure, where increased venous return leads to pulmonary congestion that triggers shortness of breath during sleep. The other terms aren’t standard labels for this nocturnal breathing problem—discharge isn’t the term used for nighttime breathlessness, dyspnea syndrome isn’t the common designation, and postnasal drainage refers to nasal secretions rather than a nocturnal breathing disturbance.