iPedia Free Information Center

Information about Apex Of The Heart

Sternocostal surface of heart. (Apex is not labeled, but is visible at bottom right.)
Diagram showing relations of opened heart to front of thoracic wall.

Ant. Anterior segment of tricuspid valve.
A O. Aorta.
A.P. Anterior papillary muscle.
In. Brachiocephalic artery (Innominate).
L.C.C. Left common carotid artery.
L.S. Left subclavian artery.
L.V. Left ventricle.
P.A. Pulmonary artery.
R.A. Right atrium.
R.V. Right ventricle.
V.S. Ventricular septum.
Latinapex cordis
subject #138 527
Dorlands/Elsevier a_52/12145026
The apex of the heart is the lowest superficial part of the heart.

It is directed downward, forward, and to the left, and is overlapped by the left lung and pleura.

External anatomy

It lies behind the fifth left intercostal space, 8 to 9 cm. from the mid-sternal line, slightly medial to the midclavicular line.

Alternately, it can be found about 4 cm. below and 2 mm. to the medial side of the left mammary papilla.

It's function is to pump blood from the left atruim

External links

This article was originally based on an entry from a public domain edition of Gray's Anatomy. As such, some of the information contained herein may be outdated. Please edit the article if this is the case, and feel free to remove this notice when it is no longer relevant.
 •  • [ e]
Anatomy of torso, cardiovascular system: heart
Structuresatria (interatrial septum, musculi pectinati) • ventricles (interventricular septum, trabeculae carneae, chordae tendinae, papillary muscle) • valves • cusps
Regionsbase • apex • grooves (coronary/atrioventricular, interatrial, anterior interventricula, posterior interventricular) • surfaces (sternocostal, diaphragmatic) • borders (right, left)
Right heart(vena cavae, coronary sinus) → right atrium (auricle, fossa ovalis, limbus of fossa ovalis, crista terminalis, valve of the inferior vena cava, valve of the coronary sinus) → tricuspid valve → right ventricle (conus arteriosus, moderator band/septomarginal trabecula)  → pulmonary valve → (pulmonary artery and pulmonary circulation)
Left heart(pulmonary veins) → left atrium (auricle) → mitral valve → left ventricle → aortic valve (aortic sinus) → (aorta and systemic circulation)
Layerspericardium  (sinus) • epicardium • myocardium • endocardium • cardiac skeleton (fibrous trigone, fibrous rings)
Conduction systemCardiac pacemaker • SA node • AV node• bundle of His • Purkinje fibers
heart is a muscular organ responsible for pumping blood through the blood vessels by repeated, rhythmic contractions, or a similar structure in the annelids, mollusks, and arthropods.
..... Click the link for more information.
The thoracic wall (or chest wall) is the boundary of the thoracic cavity.

The body portion is known as the thoracic cage. However, the wall also includes muscle, skin, and fascia.
..... Click the link for more information.
The tricuspid valve is on the right side of the heart, between the right atrium and the right ventricle. The normal tricuspid valve usually has three leaflets and three papillary muscles.
..... Click the link for more information.
The aorta (generally pronounced [eɪˈɔːtə] or "ay-orta") is the largest artery in the human body, originating from the left ventricle of the heart and bringing oxygenated blood to all parts of the body in the systemic circulation.
..... Click the link for more information.
In anatomy, the papillary muscles of the heart serve to limit the movements of the mitral and tricuspid valves. These muscles contract to tighten the chordae tendineae, which in turn prevent inversion. This occurs in response to pressure gradients.
..... Click the link for more information.
The brachiocephalic artery (or brachiocephalic trunk or innominate artery) is an artery of the mediastinum that supplies blood to the right arm and the head and neck.
..... Click the link for more information.
In human anatomy, the common carotid artery is an artery that supplies the head and neck with oxygenated blood; it divides in the neck to form the external and internal carotid arteries.
..... Click the link for more information.
In human anatomy, the subclavian artery is a major artery of the upper thorax that mainly supplies blood to the head and arms. It is located below the clavicle, hence the name. There is a left subclavian and a right subclavian.
..... Click the link for more information.
The left ventricle is one of four chambers (two atria and two ventricles) in the human heart. It receives oxygenated blood from the left atrium via the mitral valve, and pumps it into the aorta via the aortic valve.
..... Click the link for more information.
The pulmonary arteries carry blood from the heart to the lungs. They are the only arteries (other than umbilical arteries in the fetus) that carry deoxygenated blood.

In the human heart, the pulmonary trunk (pulmonary artery or main pulmonary artery
..... Click the link for more information.
The right atrium (in older texts termed the "right auricle") is one of four chambers (two atria and two ventricles) in the human heart. It receives de-oxygenated blood from the superior and inferior vena cavae and the coronary sinus, and pumps it into the right ventricle through
..... Click the link for more information.
The right ventricle is one of four chambers (two atria and two ventricles) in the human heart. It receives de-oxygenated blood from the right atrium via the tricuspid valve, and pumps it into the pulmonary artery via the pulmonary valve.
..... Click the link for more information.
Interventricular septum (or ventricular septum, or during development septum inferius) is the stout wall separating the lower chambers (the ventricles) of the heart from one another.
..... Click the link for more information.
Latin}}} 
Official status
Official language of: Vatican City
Used for official purposes, but not spoken in everyday speech
Regulated by: Opus Fundatum Latinitas
Roman Catholic Church
Language codes
ISO 639-1: la
ISO 639-2: lat
..... Click the link for more information.
Elsevier, the world's largest publisher of medical and scientific literature, forms part of the Reed Elsevier group. Based in Amsterdam, the company has substantial operations in the UK, USA and elsewhere.
..... Click the link for more information.
heart is a muscular organ responsible for pumping blood through the blood vessels by repeated, rhythmic contractions, or a similar structure in the annelids, mollusks, and arthropods.
..... Click the link for more information.
Left lung is divided into two lobes, an upper and a lower, by the oblique fissure, which extends from the costal to the mediastinal surface of the lung both above and below the hilus.
..... Click the link for more information.
pleurae. The outer pleura is attached to the chest wall and is known as the parietal pleura; the inner one is attached to the lung and other visceral tissues and is known as the visceral pleura.
..... Click the link for more information.
The intercostal space is the space between two ribs (Lat. costa). Since there are 12 ribs on each side, there are 11 intercostal spaces.

Importance of intercostal space


..... Click the link for more information.
On the front of the thorax, one of the most important vertical lines is the midsternal line, the middle line of the sternum.

See also

  • Midclavicular line

External links

  • MedEd at Loyola MEDICINE/PULMONAR/apd/lines.

..... Click the link for more information.
The midclavicular line (or midclavicular plane) is a vertical line crossing through the clavicle.

It is useful for evaluating hepatomegaly and identifying heart sounds, as well as finding the gallbladder.
..... Click the link for more information.
nipple is an appurtenance from which a fluid emanates, in this instance breast milk, to nurture a mother's young.

Anatomy

In the anatomy of mammals, a nipple or mammary papilla
..... Click the link for more information.
eMedicine is an online clinical medical knowledge base that was founded in 1996 by Scott Plantz and Richard Lavely, two medical doctors. It was sold to WebMD in January 2006.
..... Click the link for more information.
The State University of New York Health Science Center at Brooklyn, better known as SUNY Downstate Medical Center, is an academic medical center and is the only one of its kind in the Borough of Brooklyn in New York City.
..... Click the link for more information.
Elsevier, the world's largest publisher of medical and scientific literature, forms part of the Reed Elsevier group. Based in Amsterdam, the company has substantial operations in the UK, USA and elsewhere.
..... Click the link for more information.
Public domain comprises the body of knowledge and innovation (especially creative works such as writing, art, music, and inventions) in relation to which no person or other legal entity can establish or maintain proprietary interests within a particular legal jurisdiction.
..... Click the link for more information.
Henry Gray's Anatomy of the Human Body (or Gray's Anatomy as it has commonly been shortened) is an English-language human anatomy textbook widely regarded as a classic work on the subject.
..... Click the link for more information.
Human anatomy is primarily the scientific study of the morphology of the adult human body.[1] It is subdivided into gross anatomy and microscopic anatomy.[1]
..... Click the link for more information.
Torso is an anatomical term for the central part of the many animal bodies (including that of the human) from which extend the neck and limbs. It is sometimes referred to as the trunk. The torso includes the thorax and abdomen.
..... Click the link for more information.
Circulatory System is a psychedelic rock musical ensemble formed by musician/painter Will Cullen Hart, and featuring Hannah Jones, Derek Almstead, Peter Erchick, John Fernandes, and Heather McIntosh.
..... Click the link for more information.


This article is copied from an article on Wikipedia.org - the free encyclopedia created and edited by online user community. The text was not checked or edited by anyone on our staff. Although the vast majority of the wikipedia encyclopedia articles provide accurate and timely information please do not assume the accuracy of any particular article. This article is distributed under the terms of GNU Free Documentation License.
Herod_Archelaus


page counter