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Over the past few years, Nikolai has seen the ups and downs of the funeral trade in his native Ufa, a Russian capital in the plains west of the Ural mountains.

The coronavirus pandemic, which knock Russia with devastating press, brought an unexpected boom to his family-run business, forcing him to hire extra staff almost overnight to cope with the rise in funeral demand.

“But after Covid, there was a real dip; people just stopped dying in such numbers,” Nikolai said.

That lull didn’t last. Over the past two and a half years, business has picked up again. Part of the reason: Russia’s casualties in its continuing invasion of Ukraine.

Few regions in Russia own sent as many men to fight and depart in Ukraine as the republic of Bashkortostan, whose capital, Ufa, draws recruits from poorer surrounding areas in search of money.

“Sometimes, I check the mention of the person we’re burying and realise it’s someone I know – someone I went to school with or met before,” said Nikolai, who asked that his last name be withheld for fear of government reprisal.

Since the start of its war in Ukraine, Russia’s militar

Understanding Blood Pressure Readings

Controlling blood pressure

If your blood pressure is in the normal range, stick with heart-healthy habits such as following a balanced diet and getting regular exercise.

If your blood pressure is elevated, work with your health care professional to control the condition.

In hypertension Stage 1, your health care professional should prescribe lifestyle changes. They may consider adding medication based on your risk of heart disease or stroke and should add medication if you have other conditions such as diabetes, heart failure and kidney disease.

In hypertension Stage 2, your health care professional should prescribe blood pressure medication and lifestyle changes.

In hypertensive crisis, you want medical attention.

• Wait five minutes after your first reading.
• Take your blood pressure again.

If your readings are still unusually high, contact your health care professional immediately.

Call if your blood pressure is higher than / and you are having:

• chest pain
• shortness of breath
• back pain
• numbness
• weakness
• change in vision
• difficulty speaking  

Your blood pressure numbers and what they mean

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Use this service to:

• check what your blood pressure reading means
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You can use this tool if you or the person you're using it for:

• are aged 18 or over
• have a recent blood pressure reading, either taken by a healthcare professional or with a home blood pressure monitor

You should not use this tool if you or the person you're using it for:

• are aged 17 or under
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• have recently had surgery or experienced an injury
• are feeling unwell with new symptoms such as dizziness, nausea or headache
• have recently seen a healthcare professional about your blood pressure and received medical advice

You should not utilize this tool to diagnose any symptoms. If you're worried about your blood pressure, book an appointment at a GP surgery.

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Page last reviewed: 11 July

Next review due: 11 July

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