Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death among Canadians, says Mark Badrov. He hopes to help do something about it.

A kinesiology student in the second year of his master’s program, Badrov is seeking volunteer subjects for his study into how an isometric hand grip device, which users squeeze over short but sustained intervals, helps to lower blood pressure.

“It’s a novel, simple, time-efficient method of treatment, but we’re still trying to understand why it works,” he says.

The next stage of his research will involve investigation into the variation in individual responses to the device.

“We want to see if we can predict the effectiveness for patients before they begin the treatment,” Badrov says.

Subjects will engage in a series of three stress tests – solving math problems, dipping a hand in cold water, and squeezing the hand grip. He thinks cardiovascular response to the stress task will be predictive of the effectiveness of the hand grip in reducing blood pressure.

“If we can confirm this relationship, we can use these simple tests to screen patients to ensure the most effective treatment,” Badrov says.

He invites people with high blood pressure interested in participating in the study to contact him at 519-253-3000, ext. 4979.