-
B cell
-
White blood
cells that come from bone marrow, and produce antibodies to fight off disease.
-
bacteria
-
Tiny single-celled organisms. Some bacteria cause disease, although most are harmless.
-
balance
-
Ability to maintain equilibrium while stationary or moving.
-
balloon angioplasty
-
A procedure to open clogged heart
arteries. A surgeon inserts and inflates a tiny balloon. It widens the blocked
artery then expands a small wire mesh tube to keep the artery open.
-
balloon dilation
-
A surgical procedure to open a narrowed vessel or tube, such as the
urethra,
esophagus, or
artery. A small, deflated balloon is inserted into the area and inflated to widen it.
-
bariatric surgery
-
One of several types of weight loss surgery performed on people who are dangerously
overweight, to restrict or reduce food intake and/or absorption.
-
barium study
-
An imaging test that allows doctors to see the inside of the
esophagus and upper
stomach. It involves swallowing a barium solution, which coats the esophagus and makes it possible for x-rays to see the inside of the intestine.
-
Barrett's esophagus
-
-
basal cell carcinoma
-
The most common skin cancer. Basal cell carcinoma doesn't spread to internal organs.
-
basal ganglia
-
Clusters of nerve
cells deep in the brain that play an important role in movement.
-
baseline EKG
-
-
basilar artery
-
The
artery that supplies blood to the
cerebellum, the brainstem, and the back of the brain.
-
benign
-
Harmless; often used to refer to a
tumor that is not
cancerous and does not usually spread.
-
benign orgasmic headache
-
A severe headache that occurs when orgasm is reached.
-
benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH)
-
A noncancerous enlargement of the
prostate gland that obstructs the flow of urine.
-
benzodiazepines
-
Anti-anxiety medications that work by helping to maintain levels of the
neurotransmitter GABA in the brain.
-
bereavement
-
The period of grief and mourning after a death.
-
beriberi
-
A nervous system or heart disorder caused by lack of the vitamin thiamine (B1).
-
Bernstein test
-
A test to try to reproduce
heartburn symptoms; used by doctors to diagnose GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease).
-
beta blockers
-
-
beta carotene
-
A richly colored compound (red, yellow, or orange) found in many plants, fruits, and vegetables that the body can convert into vitamin A.
-
beta cells
-
-
beta-agonists
-
A medication that opens airways by relaxing the muscles around the airway; used to treat
asthma or COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease).
-
beta-amyloid
-
An abnormal protein deposited in the brain in Alzheimer's disease.
-
beta-blockers
-
A class of drugs that slow the heartbeat, lessen the force of each contraction, and reduce the contraction of blood vessels in the heart, brain, and throughout the body by blocking the action of beta-adrenergic substances such as adrenaline (epinephrine) at the beta receptor. Beta blockers, also known as beta-adrenergic blocking agents, are used to treat many cardiovascular conditions, including abnormal heart rhythms, angina, and high blood pressure. They also improve survival after a heart attack.
-
bi-level positive airway pressure (bi-PAP)
-
A machine that helps people get more air into their lungs when sleeping by increasing the pressure or force of air when breathing in; often used to treat sleep
apnea.
-
biguanides
-
Medications that stop the
liver from making excess
glucose (sugar) and improve sensitivity to
insulin.
-
bile
-
A thick, yellow-green fluid produced by the liver that aids in digestion.
-
bile acids
-
Fatty substances made by the gallbladder that aid in digestion.
-
binge drinking
-
Heavy bouts of drinking interspersed with periods of abstinence; often refers to the consumption of five or more alcoholic beverages within one day.
-
binocular vision
-
The ability of both eyes to focus on an object and form a single visual image.
-
Binswanger's dementia
-
A type of
dementia caused when blood flow is interrupted to the white matter of the brain, which lies beneath the
cerebral cortex.
-
bioavailability
-
How quickly and completely the body can absorb and use a
nutrient.
-
biochanin A
-
A natural compound found in soybeans that may help prevent
cancer from spreading. It is a type of flavonoid.
-
biochemical recurrence
-
Usually used regarding prostate cancer. It refers to a post-treatment increase in the level of
prostate-specific antigen in the bloodstream, indicating that
prostate cancer has recurred or spread following the original treatment. Also called biochemical failure.
-
biofeedback
-
An treatment that helps people learn to gain control over normally unconscious body functions, such as breathing and heart rates.
-
biological variability
-
Normal fluctuations over time in the levels of a substance being measured (such as
cholesterol).
-
biomarker
-
A distinctive biological indicator of an event, process, or condition.
-
biopsy
-
The removal of a small piece of
tissue from the body for examination under a microscope.
-
bisphosphonate
-
-
blackout
-
An episode of temporary memory loss resulting from the ingestion of alcohol or other drugs.
-
bladder neck
-
Where the bladder and
urethra meet.
-
blepharoplasty (eyelid surgery)
-
Cosmetic surgery to improve the appearance of droopy eyelids, by removing excess skin and
fat.
-
blister
-
A small pocket of fluid that develops between the upper layers of skin; often caused by friction or burns.
-
blocking agent
-
Substance that prevents a biological activity or process.
-
blood alcohol concentration (BAC )
-
A measure of the amount of alcohol in the blood.
-
blood clot
-
A
coagulated mass that occurs when blood
cells stick together and form a solid.
-
blood pressure
-
The force blood exerts against the walls of the
arteries. Optimal blood pressure is less than 120/80 mm Hg.
Related health topics:
Alcohol Withdrawal ,
Amenorrhea,
Cardiomyopathy ,
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD),
Concussion ,
Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD),
Generalized Anxiety Disorder,
Head Injury In Adults ,
Head Injury In Children,
Heart Failure,
Hemorrhagic Stroke ,
Kidney Cancer,
Kidney Transplant ,
Ovarian Cancer,
Pain ,
Parkinson's Disease,
Psoriasis,
Retinopathy,
Schizophrenia ,
Sleep Apnea,
Subarachnoid Hemorrhage ,
Substance Abuse (Depressants or Sedative-Hypnotic Drugs),
Thromboembolism (Deep Vein Thrombosis and Pulmonary Embolism)
-
blood urea nitrogen (BUN) test
-
A test that measures levels of
urea in the blood to assess how well the kidneys are functioning.
-
blood vessels
-
Related health topics:
Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm,
Cervical Cancer,
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD),
Epilepsy,
Head and Neck Cancer,
Head Injury In Adults ,
Head Injury In Children,
Hemolytic Anemia,
Hemorrhagic Stroke ,
High Blood Pressure (Hypertension),
Kidney Cancer,
Kidney Transplant ,
Liver Cancer,
Macular Degeneration,
Marfan's Syndrome,
Menopause And Perimenopause ,
Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma ,
Pancreatic Cancer,
Peripheral Arterial Disease ,
Retinopathy,
Small Cell Lung Cancer,
Stroke Overview,
Subarachnoid Hemorrhage ,
Thromboembolism (Deep Vein Thrombosis and Pulmonary Embolism) ,
Trigeminal Neuralgia (Tic Douloureux) ,
Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus
