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Dextrocardia

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.