HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS REGISTER		Author Keyword(s) Vol Page [Advanced]

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Submit a response Read responses to this article Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this link to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Add article to my folders Download to citation manager Request Permissions Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Matharu, M S Articles by Goadsby, P J Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Matharu, M S Articles by Goadsby, P J Related Collections Other Neurology Drugs: central nervous system (not psychiatric) Adverse drug reactions

Verapamil induced gingival enlargement in cluster headache

¹ Headache Group, Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London, UK
² Department of Neurology, Leiden University Medical Centre, the Netherlands

Correspondence to:
Correspondence to:
Professor P J Goadsby
Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London WC1N 3BG, UK; peterg{at}ion.ucl.ac.uk

ABSTRACT
Verapamil is an effective prophylactic treatment for cluster headaches and, therefore, is widely used. This report describes four patients with cluster headache who developed gingival enlargement after initiating treatment with verapamil. In two patients, it was possible to control this side effect adequately by optimising oral hygiene and dental plaque control. In the other two patients, lowering of the verapamil dose, in addition to optimal oral hygiene and dental plaque control, was necessary; in one patient verapamil had to be stopped completely to reverse the gingival enlargement. Doctors treating cluster headache with verapamil need to be aware of this side effect, especially as it may be preventable with good dental hygiene and dental plaque control, is reversible with reduction or cessation of verapamil, and can lead to dental loss.

Keywords: headache; cluster headache; verapamil

This article has been cited by other articles:

				A. S. Cohen, M. S. Matharu, and P. J. Goadsby Electrocardiographic abnormalities in patients with cluster headache on verapamil therapy Neurology, August 14, 2007; 69(7): 668 - 675. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

eLetters: