Serious study and research are needed in prescribing many drugs for older patients to treat multiple complications. Geriatric research in the US shows that this often results in serious adverse reactions leading to poor quality of life, said Dr Kobi T Nathan, Assistant Professor of Pharmacy Practice, Wegmans School of Pharmacy,  Rochester, US.
 
He was delivering Prof SSK Marthandam endowment oration at Sri Ramachandra University in Chennai.
 
Dr Nathan, a geriatric pharmacist said drugs have interactions with other drugs and food. Different drugs produce different effects with different diseases. They are toxic and having side effects. With other habits like smoking it could lead to unintended effects and could damage the kidney.  Often the reaction of one or more drugs is construed as another disease symptom and more medicine is prescribed.
 
The endowment oration was in memory of Prof SSK. Marthandam, an eminent orthopedic professor and surgeon and former Vice Chancellor of Sri Ramachandra University.