SUMMARY
Ekta Kapoor, M.B.B.S., has a strong research focus in women's health and is involved in multiple studies on hormone therapy in postmenopausal women and young women with surgical menopause. She leads several important research projects, including serving as the project lead for the clinical core of the recently funded Specialized Center of Research Excellence (SCORE) on Sex Differences from the Office of Research on Women's Health and the National Institute on Aging. She is a co-investigator on a large National Institutes of Health (NIH)-funded multicenter trial: the Kronos Early Estrogen Prevention (KEEPS) Continuation study.
In 2018, Dr. Kapoor was awarded a benefactor-funded career development award to lead a randomized placebo-controlled trial investigating the effect of estrogen dosing on cardiovascular disease risk parameters in women undergoing oophorectomy at a young age.
Focus areas
- Long-term changes in physical and cognitive function in women undergoing bilateral oophorectomy before the age of natural menopause. Dr. Kapoor is one of the investigators leading an NIH-funded Mayo Clinic study examining the long-term effects of ovary removal on physical and cognitive function.
- Optimal dose of estrogen therapy in women with removal of ovaries before menopause. Dr. Kapoor is leading a clinical trial at Mayo Clinic's campus in Rochester, Minnesota, to identify the optimal dose of estradiol that serves to optimize the cardiovascular risk parameters in women after removal of both ovaries at a young age (prior to the age of 46).
- The effect of hormone therapy on risk of Alzheimer's disease in women after menopause. Dr. Kapoor is a co-investigator on the KEEPS Continuation study, the major goal of which is to study the effect of menopausal hormone therapy on the risk of Alzheimer's disease in postmenopausal women.
- The effect of hormone therapy on menopausal health. Dr. Kapoor is leading several studies using records from the Data Registry on Experiences of Aging, Menopause and Sexuality (DREAMS), a Mayo Clinic menopause database. These studies relate to the determinants of menopausal symptoms and the effect of hormone therapy on these symptoms. Dr. Kapoor is also conducting studies on weight management in women at midlife.
Significance to patient care
Dr. Kapoor's research aims to improve the health and care of postmenopausal women. With the increase in life expectancy, women spend one-third or more of their lives in menopause. Also, the health issues of postmenopausal women are distinct from those of men, and have to be managed with strategies that may not be applicable to men. Therefore, there is an increased need for research with a specific focus on the unique health needs of this population.
Professional highlights
- Member, Women's Health Workgroup, National Lipid Academy, 2019-present
- Member, Education Committee, North American Menopause Society, 2017-present