hyperoxaluria /-ok′səlo͝or″ē·ə/ , an excessive level of oxalic acid or oxalates, primarily calcium oxalate, in the urine. The cause is usually an inherited deficiency of an enzyme needed to metabolize oxalic acid, which is present in many fruits and vegetables, or a disorder of fat absorption in the small intestine. An excess of oxalates may lead to the formation of renal calculi and renal failure. Treatments include pyridoxine, forced fluids, and a low-oxalate diet.
