Dictionary

BUN Blood urea nitrogen.

bump A raised area resulting from blood and serum leaking from injured blood vessels into the tissues, as well as from the body’s inflammatory response to the injury. A purplish, flat bruise that occurs when blood leaks out into the top layers of skin is referred to as an ecchymosis.

bullous pemphiguoid A disease characterized by tense, blistering eruptions of the skin caused by inflammation associated with antibodies in the basement membrane layer of skin. It is diagnosed by skin biopsy showing the abnormal antibodies deposited in the skin layer. Treatment is with topical cortisone creams but sometimes requires high doses of cortisone (steroids) or…

bullous Characterized by blistering, such as a second-degree burn.

Bulimia, or bulimia nervosa, is an eating disorder characterized by episodes of binge eating followed by attempts to prevent weight gain through unhealthy behaviors such as vomiting (purging), excessive exercise, or the misuse of laxatives or diuretics. Individuals with bulimia may feel a lack of control during binge episodes, leading to feelings of guilt, shame,…

bulimia An eating disorder characterized by periods of extreme overeating, often interrupted by periods of anorexia. Bulimia is usually accompanied by self-induced vomiting or other forms of purging, including the use of laxatives, obsessive exercise, or fasting. Bulimia can be life-threatening due to dehydration, and it can cause permanent damage to the bowels, liver, kidney,…

bulbourethral gland A pea-sized gland in the male located behind and to the side of the urethra that discharges a component of seminal fluid into the urethra. There are two bulbourethral glands, one on each side. Also known as the Cowper’s gland.

buccal mucosa The inner lining of the cheeks and lips.

bubonic plague An infectious disease that is caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis and is transmitted to humans from infected rats by the oriental rat flea. It is named for the characteristic feature of buboes (painfully enlarged lymph nodes) in the groin, armpits, neck, and elsewhere. Other symptoms of bubonic plague include headache, fever, chills,…

bubo An enlarged lymph node that is tender and painful. Buboes particularly occur in the groin and armpit (the axillae). These swollen glands are seen in a number of infectious diseases, including gonorrhea, syphilis, tuberculosis, and the eponymous bubonic plague.

B-type natriuretic peptide A 32-amino-acid polypeptide secreted by the ventricles of the heart in response to excessive stretching of heart muscle cells. The levels of B-type natriuretic peptide are elevated in patients with congestive heart failure, and correlate with both the severity of symptoms and the prognosis. Also known as BNP.

BSA See body surface area.