The son of former Manchester United footballer Mark Hughes died from sudden adult death syndrome, a coroner has found.
Alex Hughes was found collapsed at his home in Macclesfield, Cheshire, on 19 June by his two sons.
The 38-year-old, who followed his ex-Wales international father into football and held roles in recruitment at Grimsby Town, Manchester City and other clubs, could not be revived by paramedics, his inquest heard.
Following his death, Mark Hughes and his wife Jill said they were “totally heartbroken by the sudden and unexpected loss of our beloved son”.
Sudden adult death syndrome (SADS) – also known as sudden arrhythmic syndrome – is diagnosed when the cause of death cannot be explained in a post-mortem examination because the structure of the heart appears normal.
It affects about 500 people in the UK every year.
The British Heart Foundation said SADS “usually happens when a dangerously abnormal heart rhythm goes untreated and leads to a cardiac arrest”.
The foundation added that inherited heart conditions are “often the cause of SADS if the person who has it doesn’t know they do”.