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A university student who lived in a shared house lay dead in his room for up to eight days.

Alexander Denk, 26, was finally discovered by police when his family became worried.

The German-born student lived with up to eight other under-graduates in the shared house in Roath, Cardiff.

An inquest yesterday was told he was last seen on October 31 but was not seen again until police went into his locked room on November 8.

A pathologist also speculated Mr Denk could have been victim of the rare Sudden Adult Death Syndrome.

Pathologist Gareth Leopold said: "Due to the time lapsed between his death and the post-mortem examination, it was difficult to determine why Mr Denk had died."

The inquest in Cardiff heard Alexander often consumed caffeine drinks to stay awake studying.

Mr Leopold said: "Consuming a large amount of caffeine has been known to cause death by a condition called arrhythmia, in which the heart beats too fast."

Alexander moved to Cardiff from Munich last year to study for his masters degree in international business management at the University of South Wales.

His father Raimund (corr) said: "I knew he had a lot of pressure in relation to his studies and I told him he should take care of himself. He was very ambitious."

Coroner Thomas Atherton recorded an open verdict.