What is sudden adult death syndrome?
Mark Hughes's son Alex Hughes dies from little known arrhythmic condition
Tributes are being paid to Alex Hughes, the football coach who died unexpectedly, aged 38, in June with a rare, undiagnosed heart issue.
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A coroner ruled this week that the coach, who worked at Grimsby Town, died from the little-known sudden adult death syndrome and was not known to have been unwell.
Hughes was found by his two sons to have collapsed at home in Macclesfield, Cheshire, on June 19.
His father, the former Manchester United and Chelsea footballer Mark Hughes, said: "[We are] totally heartbroken by the sudden and unexpected loss of our beloved son.
“Alex was a wonderful son, brother to Curtis and Xenna, devoted husband to Jessica and their two beautiful children Sebastian and Leonardo."
Hughes held coaching roles at Manchester City, Fulham, and Blackburn, all clubs where his father managed, as well as 1860 Munich.
Cheshire Coroner’s Court heard that despite resuscitation efforts, his death was confirmed by paramedics.
Following a post-mortem examination, his death was attributed to “sudden adult death syndrome”, also known as Sudden Arrhythmic Death Syndrome (SADS).
Read also: Football legend Mark Hughes' son Alex died from sudden adult death syndrome
What is sudden adult death syndrome?
Sudden adult, or arrhythmic, death syndrome (SADS) "is when someone dies suddenly and unexpectedly from a cardiac arrest, but it's not clear what the cause was," the British Heart Foundation states.
Unlike sudden cardiac death, there is nothing in the post-mortem to explain why it has happened as the heart looks healthy to medics upon examination.
The foundation states that it "usually happens when a dangerously abnormal heart rhythm goes untreated and leads to a cardiac arrest" and affects around 500 people in the UK every year.
What are the symptoms?
There are no symptoms of SADS until it strikes, as is the nature of the syndrome, and it usually happens when a dangerously abnormal heart rhythm goes untreated.
"Some people with an inherited heart condition don’t have any symptoms," the NHS states.
"This means some families only find out they’re affected by an inherited heart condition after a sudden death."
A pathologist may then suggest for a family of the deceased to be inspected for signs of cardiac abnormality.
Who is affected?
Around 500 people in the UK die from SADS every year.
"Genetic tests can find genetic faults," the heart foundation added.
"A fault could mean you are at risk of developing the same inherited heart condition that your family member has."