An official website of the United States government
Here’s how you know
Official websites use .gov A
.gov website belongs to an official government
organization in the United States.
Secure .gov websites use HTTPS A
lock (
) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to
the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official,
secure websites.
URL of this page: //medlineplus.gov/ency/imagepages/19879.htm
Dextrocardia
Overview
The heart is almost always located in the left side of the chest. Dextrocardia is a condition in which the apex of the heart is directed towards the right side of the chest. Dextrocardia can also cause the heart to develop in a mirror image of the normal heart. In the more common types of dextrocardia, heart defects are present in addition to the abnormal location of the heart.
Review Date 5/27/2024
Updated by: Michael A. Chen, MD, PhD, Associate Professor of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Harborview Medical Center, University of Washington Medical School, Seattle, WA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
