Sudden Adult Death Syndrome killed two

Two men from Staffordshire died of the same rare heart condition within weeks of each other, inquests heard.

Steven Hall, aged 50, of Fradley, near Lichfield, and Wayne Barber, 37, of Leveson Avenue, Cheslyn Hay, died this year.

Their deaths were not connected, but both men were suffering from Sudden Adult Death Syndrome (SADS), a coroner was told. Experts estimate the condition, which is characterised by an irregular heartbeat, kills around 3,500 people under the age of 65 every year in the UK.

South Staffordshire coroner Andrew Haigh said: "SADS is unusual, but it does happen in some cases."

Inquests into the deaths were heard in Cannock and verdicts of natural causes were recorded in each case.

Mr Hall was found by his family at his home in Rogerson Road, Fradley, on January 31.

No drugs or alcohol were found in his system and he had no serious medical history, the inquest heard.

He had visited a cardiologist in 2005, but was given a clean bill of health.

A post mortem did not reveal anything that would have caused his death.

Mr Barber, who worked as a fast food equipment technician, was found at a house in Station Street, Cheslyn Hay, just over three weeks later, on February 24.

He spent the night at the property after drinking with friends the previous evening. Others reported hearing a "thud" during the night, but said they had heard Mr Barber snoring and moaning after that.

Pathologist Terence Hollingworth said that he had found some alcohol and traces of cannabis in Mr Barber's body, as well as an enlarged heart, fluid on the lungs and scarring on the kidneys.

But he said that these would not have been enough to cause the death.

"They should not be taken as an explanation of the death," he said.

Explaining the condition that both men had suffered from, Dr Hollingworth said: "Patients experience minor symptoms such as fainting, palpitations or light-headedness, but the significance only comes to light when the patient dies suddenly or unexpectedly.

"It is probably advisable for family members to consult their doctors as to whether they should be screened."