What it means
In an adult the apex is usually found at the fifth space between the ribs, in line with the middle of the left collarbone. Counting there hears every beat directly, so it is more accurate than a wrist pulse when the rhythm is irregular. It is the standard pulse in infants and young children. A normal adult rate is 60 to 100 beats per minute.
For the nurse
Count for one full minute before giving drugs that slow the heart, such as digoxindih-JOK-sinA drug that makes the heart beat more strongly and more slowly.Full entry or beta blockers, and when the rhythm is irregular. Compare it with the radial pulse: a radial rate lower than the apical rate (a pulse deficit) should be reported.
In a chart
"Apical pulse 88 and irregular, counted for 1 full minute; radial 76."
Related terms
digoxin
A drug that makes the heart beat more strongly and more slowly.
heart rate
How many times the heart beats per minute.
auscultation
Listening to the sounds inside the body, usually with a stethoscope.