The management of cardiovascular disorders poses a dilemma for the medical fraternity. Calcium channel blockers are one of the most commonly used drugs for the management of this disorder, and it is also a well known fact that they are one of the most common group of drugs responsible for causing gingival over growth as one of their adverse effects. Amlodipine is a new generation hypertensive, which has found wide acceptance and usage due to its duration of action. Even with all its benefits as a potent hypertensive, its effect on gingival tissues is what causes concern to the patient and dental surgeon equally. The objective of this article is to create awareness regarding the adverse oral effects of amlodipine, its underlying mechanism of action in bringing about this adverse reaction, along with providing a brief review of the pharmacologic profile of this drug.

Gingival enlargement comprises any clinical condition in which an increase in the size of the gingiva is observed. Among the drugs that induce gingival enlargement, the antiepileptic agent phenytoin has been widely related to this condition. The Cytochrome P450(CYP) superfamily is the most commonly involved enzymes in metabolism of drugs. Common coding region CYP variants that affects drug elimination and response has been studied in great detail. Pharmacogenetic influences on drug metabolism have been widely reviewed and gene polymorphism of cytochrome P450 2C9 appeared to be responsible for much of the interindividual variability on drug elimination. Genetic variation in the CYP2C9 gene can affect metabolism, leading to altered phenotypes. Individuals with poor metaboliser alleles of CYP2C9 gene were shown to have a reduced metabolism of phenytoin compared with wild-type alleles. Thus identification of patients genotype prior to anti-epileptic drug administration could potentially prevent higher serum drug concentrations leading to adverse side effects such as gingival enlargement. This case report addresses the influence of CYP2C9 genetic polymorphism on Phenytoin drug metabolism thereby causing gingival enlargement.

Drug-induced complications can potentially be a result of genetic factors, in combination with various local and systemic factors. Identifying genetic polymorphisms early might help predict adverse reactions and determine prognosis.

Leukemia is a neoplastic disease characterized by an excessive proliferation of immature white blood cells and their precursors. Oral lesions may be the presenting feature of acute leukemia, which can be rapidly fatal if left untreated. Although many cases of gingival enlargement in patients with acute myeloid leukemia's have been reported in the literature, cases diagnosed by the oral manifestations in India are very few. This report describes the case of a 43-year-old female who presented with gingival bleeding and gingival enlargement. Within a month she developed signs and symptoms of systemic disease such as, and splenomegaly, and upon further investigation, she was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia to which she succumbed within 10 days after diagnosis. The need for early diagnosis and referral of this fatal disease are also underline.

No abstract