[A case of gingival hyperplasia induced by nifedipine]

Nifedipine is a new agent belonging to the calcium antagonist group of drugs, applied clinically to circulatory disorders, such as essential hypertension, renal hypertension and angina cordis and has been rapid in gaining popularity in Japan. On the other hand, as do all effective drugs, this drug has side effects, one of which is gingival hyperplasia. The clinical findings are extremely similar to the gingival hyperplasia induced by phenytoin used for the treatment of epilepsy. A 46-year-old man was referred to our hospital whose chief complaint was gingival swelling. He had been receiving nifedipine for his hypertension for about one year. He was diagnosed as having the side-effects of nifedipine due to being treated with 20 mg/day for a year. Nifedipine was discontinued and scaling and oral hygiene resulted in healing.