apex (heart, anatomy)
Last reviewed 01/2018
In the anatomical position, the apex of the heart is the confluence of the inferior and left borders. It is a projection inferiorly, anteriorly and to the left of the left ventricle.
Anterolaterally, it is covered by the anterior surface of the mediastinal pleura.
In fit, young adults, the surface marking of the apex of the heart is the fifth intercostal space in the midclavicular line. This may not necessarily correspond to the position of the apex beat.