Urination - excessive volume - Overview

Alternative Names

Polyuria

Definition of Urination - excessive volume:

Excessive volume of urination means that you release abnormally large amounts of urine each day. The medical term for this condition is polyuria.

Considerations:

An excessive volume of urination for an adult is more than 2.5 liters of urine per day.

Polyuria is a fairly common symptom, which is often noticed when you have to get up to use the bathroom at night.

Common Causes:

Drinking a large amount of fluids, particularly those containing caffeine or alcohol
Certain medications, especially diuretics
Diabetes mellitus
Diabetes insipidus
Psychogenic polydipsia, most common in women over age 30
Kidney failure
Sickle cell anemia
Imaging tests that involve injecting a special dye (contrast media) into your vein -- the amount of urine you produce may increase for up to 24 hours afterwards

Female urinary tract

Male urinary tract

Reviewed last on: 9/30/2009
David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine; Scott Miller, MD, Urologist in private practice in Atlanta, Georgia. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

References

Gerber GS, Brendler CB. Evaluation of the urologic patient: History, physical examination, and the urinalysis. In: Wein AJ, ed. Campbell-Walsh Urology. 9th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2007: chap 3.

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