Silent Killer on the Loose
There is a silent killer on the loose and it could strike between 3,500 and 5,500 Evington residents. Hypertension, or high blood pressure, has few symptoms and accounts for the regions higher-than-average under 75 mortality rate. And it isn’t just the elderly population it affects. Former Labour MP for Leicester South from 2011 to 2024, Jonathan Ashworth, suffered a stroke on New Years Day 2026 at the age of 47 years.
Ashworth is quoted as urging people to get checked because health officials estimate that 24,000 people in Leicester could be vulnerable, and he regretted not having regular health checks. He has never smoked and was in training to complete a double marathon. He is quoted as saying that ‘Everyone’s stroke journey is different….’and he recommends everyone getting their blood pressure checked.
The City Council’s Health and Wellbeing Board stated in a recent report that hypertension is the most common cardiovascular disease among residents and is more prevalent in older people, certain ethnic minority communities and in those experiencing depravation.
A ‘dedicated’ task group is now working to help people to access blood pressure checks at their local pharmacies, GP surgery and community ‘pop-up’ events.
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