What Decreases Urinary Output?

Elimination measuring less than 500 milliliters within a 24-hour period signals a health problem, according to the Drexel University College of Medicine. While urine output may naturally decrease during abnormally hot weather or during an illness that involves dehydration, a reduction in urinary output is not a normal condition. A medical professional should be consulted to determine the nature of the problem.

Dehydration

• Dehydration is a condition where the fluid in the gastrointestinal tract is decreased because of a medical condition, exercise or failure to take in an adequate daily supply of water and fluids. Diarrhea and vomiting can speed dehydration, according to the Merck Manuals Online Medical Library. The loss of fluid during dehydration reduces the amount of fluid excreted in the urinary process.

  Treatment to return the urinary output to normal levels after dehydration include restoring fluids through drinking water for mild cases and a solution with 2 percent glucose and salt when under a doctor's supervision. Extreme cases of dehydration require intravenous fluid supplements.

Urinary Tract Obstruction

• An obstruction of the urinary tract, also known in medical terms as an acute bilateral obstructive uropathy, is a "sudden blockage of the flow of urine from both kidneys," according to the National Institutes of Health. This obstruction decreases urinary output and is linked to kidney stones, cervical, prostate or bladder cancer, pregnancy and blood clots. A surgical injury after a procedure on reproductive organs may also be related. In addition to the decline in urine output, the symptoms may include fever, nausea, vomiting, the urge to urinate, blood in the urine and an abnormal urine color, according to MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia.

Severe Shock

• A severe medical condition creating shock may also reduce the amount of urine produced by the body. The Merck Manuals Online Medical Library defines shock as "a state of organ hypoperfusion with resultant cellular dysfunction and death." Shock affects the body's blood circulation and includes symptoms such as disorientation, difficulty in breathing and lightheadedness.

  If shock, including sepsis and septic shock resulting from an infection or inflammatory condition, is not treated, body organs will fail, including functioning of the urinary tract. Shock must be treated by a medical professional with the use of "fluid resuscitation, antibiotics, surgical excision or tissues" and supportive care that may include the use of blood glucose, activated protein C and corticosteroids, according to the Merck Manuals.

Drugs and Medication Use

• Drexel University College of Medicine states that a group of medications, including methotrexate, diuretics and anticholinergics, reduce the amount of urine produced by the body. Caffeine is a drug and caffeine dehydration results when a large amount of caffeine is ingested over a short period of time. The Mayo Clinic defines an excessive amount as four to seven cups of coffee a day, or approximately 500 to 600 milligrams of caffeine. Conversely, the large amounts of caffeine may temporarily increase the urinary output, according to Katherine Zeratsky, R.D. of the Mayo Clinic.