ABSTRACT
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.
