Urolithiasis is a common disease worldwide and represents a high burden for public healthcare systems and patients. There is an increasing global incidence mainly driven by the change in nutritional habits. For patients with metabolic and genetic risk factors and recurrent urolithiasis, clarification of the metabolic cause and an adapted prophylaxis for recurrence (metaphylaxis) are essential to avoid further stone formation. In principle preventive strategies can be divided into general preventive measures (increase of fluid intake and adaptation of diet) and specific recurrence prevention (tailored medicinal strategies, e.g. administration of citrates, thiazides and treatment of urinary tract infections in cases of struvite stones). This overview explains the pathogenesis of different stone types, the strategies for metabolic work-up and the treatment options for recurrence prevention (metaphylaxis).     «

Urolithiasis is a common disease worldwide and represents a high burden for public healthcare systems and patients. There is an increasing global incidence mainly driven by the change in nutritional habits. For patients with metabolic and genetic risk factors and recurrent urolithiasis, clarification of the metabolic cause and an adapted prophylaxis for recurrence (metaphylaxis) are essential to avoid further stone formation. In principle preventive strategies can be divided into general prevent...     »