apex beat
physiology
Quick Summary
The apex beat is the pulsation felt or heard at the fifth left intercostal space, caused by the apex of the left ventricle of the heart. This beat occurs at the beginning of systole, which is the phase of the cardiac cycle when the ventricles contract. The rounded and hardened ventricular wall exerts pressure on the chest wall, creating the palpable apex beat. This physiological phenomenon is a key indicator of heart function.12
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