Concepts of Clinical Anatomy of the Heart: Definition, Location and Position

Abstract

The heart is a thoracic musculocavitary, intrapericardial organ, situated in the middle mediastinum. Its main function is that of a suction pump which works simultaneously on two almost independent circuits. The heart has also a paraendocrine function due to some polypeptides production. The heart has a specific autonomy, justified by the presence in its structure of the cardiac conduction system. At the same time the heart is an organ which is under the central nervous control (both nervous and endocrine), perfectly integrated in the entire body economy and placed under the influence of the great regulating reflexes. Not least, the heart represents a vast territory of pharmacological reception, with varied receptors which can be manipulated in a specific manner.