What it means
A gland of the male reproductive system that sits just below the bladderBLAD-erThe hollow, stretchy organ in the lower belly that stores urine until it leaves the body.cyst/o bladder (as in cystitis)Full entry , wrapped around the urethrayoo-REE-thruhThe tube that carries urine from the bladder out of the body.Full entry . It adds fluid to semen. It often grows larger with age (benign prostatic hyperplasiabee-NINE proh-STAT-ik hy-per-PLAY-zhuhA prostate gland that has grown larger than normal, from growth that is not cancer.hyper- more than normalplas growth or formation-ia conditionFull entry ), which can squeeze the urethra and slow urine flow. Prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers in men. The PSA (prostate-specific antigen) blood test is one screening tool.
For the nurse
Ask about a weak urine stream, trouble starting, dribbling, feeling the bladder is not empty and getting up at night to urinate. Be careful with drugs that can cause urinary retention, such as some antihistamines, in men with an enlarged prostate.
Remember it
Prostate has no extra r; prostrate (an extra r) means lying face down.
At a glance
| Spanish | próstata |
|---|---|
| Also written | prostates, prostatic, prostate gland |
Easy to confuse with
prostrate
Lying flat, face down; also, completely worn out or overcome.
Related terms
urinary retention
Being unable to empty the bladder completely, or at all.
bladder
The hollow, stretchy organ in the lower belly that stores urine until it leaves the body.
benign prostatic hyperplasia
A prostate gland that has grown larger than normal, from growth that is not cancer.
urethra
The tube that carries urine from the bladder out of the body.
nocturia
Waking up at night to urinate, more than once or more than is usual for the person.