Blood urea nitrogen
Blood Urea Nitrogen
Blood Urea Nitrogen (BUN) is a medical term often used in the field of Nephrology. It refers to the nitrogen component of urea, which is a substance formed in the liver as an end product of protein metabolism.
Pronunciation
Blood Urea Nitrogen is pronounced as /blʌd jʊˈriːə ˈnaɪtrədʒən/.
Etymology
The term "Blood Urea Nitrogen" is derived from the English language. "Blood" is derived from the Old English blōd, "Urea" comes from the Latin ūrea, which is derived from the Greek ouron meaning urine, and "Nitrogen" comes from the French nitrogène, which is a compound of nitre (potassium nitrate) and -gène (producing).
Definition
Blood Urea Nitrogen (BUN) is a measure of the amount of nitrogen in the blood that comes from the waste product urea. Urea is made in the liver and excreted in urine. The BUN test is primarily used to test kidney function.
Related Terms
- Urea: A colorless, odorless solid, highly soluble in water, and practically non-toxic. It is transported in the blood to the kidneys, which excrete it in the urine.
- Nitrogen: A chemical element with the symbol N and atomic number 7. It is a common element in the universe, estimated at about seventh in total abundance in the Milky Way and the Solar System.
- Nephrology: A specialty of medicine and pediatrics that concerns itself with the kidneys.
- Kidney function: The term used to describe how well the kidneys are working to filter out waste and extra fluid from the blood.
- Protein metabolism: The various biochemical processes responsible for the synthesis of proteins and amino acids, and the breakdown of proteins by catabolism.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Blood urea nitrogen
- Wikipedia's article - Blood urea nitrogen
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