Hyperoxia is respiratory disease caused by oxygen toxicity. It occurs when the organism is exposed to an higher than normal partial pressure of oxygen.
Hyperoxia leads to two possible effects :
- The Lorrain Smith effect : pulmonary toxicity that can cause lung irritations.
- The Paul Bert effect : CNS (Nentral Nervous System) toxicity that cause symptoms similar to an epilepsy crisis.
Oxygen toxicity is something to have in mind when using Nitrox or hyperoxic trimix in scuba diving.