Oral ulcers have a number of causes, and as a result, their etiology can be difficult
to determine. Clinical management can range from simple treatment of the symptoms
to extensive surgical excision, as in the case of malignant ulcers. Nicorandil, an
antiangina drug, has been identified as a potential trigger for cutaneomucosal ulcers.
This article reviews the importance of taking a full medical history when seeking
to identify the side effects of treatments. We present the case of a 70-year-old patient
with chronic ulceration of the oral mucosa. Determining the cause of ulceration as
a side effect of taking nicorandil was delayed because the team that initially managed
the patient hypothesized a malignant etiology. As a result, a partial glossectomy
was performed for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. After extensive examination
of the patient's medical history and current treatments, nicorandil was identified
as the potential trigger. The patient finally recovered after discontinuation of nicorandil.
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: July 06, 2020
Accepted:
June 3,
2020
Received in revised form:
June 1,
2020
Received:
March 19,
2020
Identification
Copyright
© 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.