MAROA - Getting up in front of classmates is enough to make the heart of any teenager race.

Not so for senior Alex Balagna, whose heart rate was 55 beats per minute tops as he gave a presentation last week to about 35 students at Maroa-Forsyth High School about his little known, but potentially devastating condition, Long QT Syndrome.

An electrical problem that disturbs the heart's normal rhythm, the disorder can cause rapid, chaotic heartbeats, fainting and cardiac arrest.

Balagna, 18, was diagnosed about 10 years ago after fainting four times - the first time while he was jumping rope in P.E., the second time after he was asked to stand up in chorus, the third time when he got up in front of his class to read a poem and the fourth time while delivering a present to a friend's house.

"Anything that makes your heart speed up can cause problems," he said. "It kind of stinks when it happens because nothing's working together."

His heart rate has been controlled with medication since that time, but he and his family started taking Long QT more seriously after his 2½-year-old nephew, Luke Shields, died without warning from the condition in February 2006. "Younger children have smaller bodies and smaller reserves and go straight into ventricular fibrillation," Balagna said.

Eight other family members, including Balagna's mother, one of his sisters and Luke's twin brother Logan, have since been diagnosed with Long QT.

Senior Chris Damen, 18, wanted to know if Balagna had experienced any other problems since his diagnosis at age 8.

Balagna said that both he and his nephew Logan have undergone implantation of internal cardiac defribrillators as a precaution. His device and his medication keep his heart rate between 45 and 55 beats per minute.

But he emphasized that automated external defibrillators should be used on anyone who loses consciousness for no apparent reason.

"You can't hurt people with these," Balagna said. "It doesn't deliver a shock unless the person needs it."

His presentation at the high school was one of a series Balagna is making as his Eagle Scout project with Troop 103 at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Theresa Churchill can be reached at tchurchill@herald-review.com or 421-7978.