Position of the apex beat in childhood.
The position of the apex beat in relation to the midclavicular and nipples lines and the intercostal spaces was studied in 353 healthy Jamaican children from birth to 10 years. The traditional use of the midclavicular line as a reference point in relation to the apex beat is not an accurate index of normal heart size at all ages. For this purpose actual measurement of the apex beat, which ranges between 2.8 and and 5.4 cm from the midline, should be made. However, for a rough estimate of normal cardiac size the midclavicular line may be used. In contrast, the nipple line lies outside the apex beat at all ages; it should not be used in the clinical evaluation of normal cardiac size. From birth to age 3 years the apex beat is located in the 4th intercostal space and with increasing age gradually moves into the 5th space in most children.
CiteULike 
Complore 
Connotea 
Del.icio.us 
Digg 
Reddit 
Technorati What's this?
- Full Text (PDF)
- Submit a response
- Alert me when this article is cited
- Alert me when eLetters are posted
- Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
- Email this link to a friend
- Similar articles in ADC Online
- Similar articles in PubMed
- Add article to my folders
- Download to citation manager
- Request Permissions
Citing Articles
Google Scholar
PubMed
Bookmark with
Register for free content
The full back archive is now available for all BMJ Journals. Institutional subscribers may access the entire archive as part of their subscription. Personal subscribers will also have access to all content when logged in. Non-subscribers who register have free access to all articles published before 2006 right back to volume 1 issue 1. Register here to access the free archive of all BMJ Journals.
Don't forget to sign up for content alerts so you keep up to date with all the articles as they are published.
