LETTER
Calcium Channel Antagonists and Gingival Hyperplasia
C. David Naylor, MD, DPhil
15 October 1994 | Volume 121 Issue 8 | Pages 624-625
TO THE EDITOR:
I read with interest the report by Steele and colleagues [1] on calcium antagonist-induced gingival hyperplasia.
The authors reported that none of the affected patients had "severe hyperplasia." They sketched some potential complications but also noted that only one of their patients required surgical attention for gingival overgrowth. No data were given on how often the patients were troubled by the changes in their gums.
How does this evidence support the recommendation that physicians "examine patients who are to be treated with a calcium antagonist for gingival overgrowth?" Because many older patients with ischemic heart disease already have gum recession, is it logical to forewarn them about this side effect or to alter drug choices if elderly patients are inconsistent about tooth-brushing?
Further, given that nonreversible gingival loss is a problem afflicting many younger persons, I wondered whether these findings suggested some new therapeutic applications for calcium channel blockers.
All these, of course, are the musings of a general internist-epidemiologist, not a periodontist. Can the authors educate me further?
1. Steele RM, Schuna AA, Schreiber RT. Calcium anatagonist-induced gingival hyperplasia. Ann Intern Med. 1994; 120:663-4.
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