More than any other organ in the body, the heart inspires the imagination. Throughout human history, people around the world have written, spoken and sung about the heart in thousands of languages, describing it as the seat of love, kindness and courage.
But the heart's primary function is to keep us alive. This fist-size muscular organ drives the circulatory system, pumping oxygenated blood throughout the body. It may speed up or slow down depending on our emotions or physical exertion, or due to injury or disease. But in general, a healthy heart thumps steadily and reliably.
