Dr. Shanil Lara Harkins MD

Recommended Articles

• What Is Bisacodyl Used For?

  Generic Name: BisacodylBrand Name: Dulcolax, CorrectolBisacodyl is a type of medication used for the short-term treatment of constipation. It can also be used as a laxative to empty the bowels before a patient undergoes surgery and other types of medical procedures. It is a stimulant laxative that...

• Reasons Why You Need a Laparoscopy

  Laparoscopy involves the inspection of the abdominal organs or the female pelvic organs through the use of a thin, lighted tube that is inserted through an incision made in the belly. It is used to locate complications such as adhesions, cysts, infections, and fibroids. The tube used in the...

• Drugs for Heartburn May Cause Hip Fractures

  Long-term use of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), the major class of heartburn drugs, may result in fractures of the hip in postmenopausal women with a history of smoking. The results of the study, published in the journal BMJ, shows that the risk of a hip fracture is not lowered even after stopping...

• An Overview of Gallbladder Diseases

  What is the gallbladder?The gallbladder is a four-inch, pear-shaped organ situated below your liver. It acts as a storage organ for bile, which is a mixture of fats, cholesterol, and fluids. The main purpose of bile is to help in breaking down fats during digestion. The whole process allows for easy...

• Black Stool: What Does It Mean?

  What does a black stool indicate?A black or dark red-colored stool is called tarry or bloody stools. However, passing dark-colored stools is not always caused by serious problems. One of the most common causes of black stools is the consumption of iron supplements, particularly in people who have...

• What Are the Risks of a Laparoscopy?

  Laparoscopy is a surgical procedure that is done to examine various abdominal organs or female pelvic organs. The procedure is sometimes called as "diagnostic laparoscopy" or "keyhole surgery". This procedure can identify problems such as adhesion, fibroids, infections, and cysts.The procedure...