What is "hyperoxia"

n. (context pathology English) A condition caused by an excess of oxygen in tissues and organs.

Hyperoxia occurs when tissues and organs are exposed to an excess supply of oxygen (O) or higher than normal partial pressure of oxygen.

In medicine, it refers to excess oxygen in the lungs or other body tissues, which can be caused by breathing air or oxygen at pressures greater than normal atmospheric pressure. This kind of hyperoxia can lead to oxygen toxicity, caused from the harmful effects of breathing molecular oxygen at elevated partial pressures. Hyperoxia differs from hypoxia in that hyperoxia refers to a state in which oxygen supply is too much, whereas hypoxia refers to the state in which oxygen supply is insufficient.

Oxygen supplementation is common in the treatment of hypoxemia, an abnormally low level of oxygen in the blood. Hypoxemia can further cause tissue hypoxia as blood is not supplying sufficient oxygen to the rest of the body's tissues and organs, resulting in the need for further supplementation of oxygen. It is estimated that the annual need for supplemental oxygen is around 800,000 individuals with a cost of 1.8 billion dollars.

In the environment, it refers to excess oxygen in a body of water or other habitat.