Prevalence of amlodipine-related gingival hyperplasia

Calcium channel blockers are known to contribute to gingival hyperplasia. The vast majority of reports discuss patients taking the drug nifedipine. During the past few years a newer calcium channel blocker, amlodipine, has been used with increasing frequency. To date, six cases have been published indicating that amlodipine may also promote gingival hyperplasia; however, no data have been reported regarding the prevalence of this phenomenon. The purpose of this study was to examine a large group of patients taking amlodipine and determine the prevalence of gingival hyperplasia. One hundred fifty dentate patients who had been taking amlodipine, 5 mg per day for at least 6 months, volunteered to undergo a screening examination for gingival hyperplasia. Mild hyperplasia (< 1/3 clinical crown) was found in five patients-a prevalence of 3.3%. This is significantly less (P < .001) than rates reported for patients taking nifedipine, and not significantly different from rates previously reported in control groups of cardiac patients not taking calcium channel blockers. The results from this group of patients indicated that amlodipine, 5 mg per day, did not induce gingival hyperplasia.