What does oliguria indicate?

Oliguria refers to a medical condition characterized by a significant decrease in urine output. When the body produces less urine than normal, typically defined as less than 400 milliliters per day, it can indicate a variety of underlying issues. These can range from dehydration or acute kidney injury to more severe conditions affecting kidney function or blood flow to the kidneys.

Understanding this condition is vital in clinical practice, as it may serve as an early sign of renal impairment or fluid imbalance that requires further investigation.

In contrast, increased urine production would be referred to as polyuria, while complete absence of urine output is termed anuria. Normal urine production is expected to be around 800 to 2000 mL per day in a healthy adult. Thus, recognizing oliguria is important for assessing a patient's kidney health and overall fluid status.